*Photo from the Los Angeles Times*
Atlanta leads series 2-1
Already trailing the series 2-0 and trailing in the game 5-2, the Los Angeles Dodgers were oh so close to seeing their season fall to the brink of elimination and a 3-0 series deficit. Then, a player who struggled all regular season delivered. Corey Seager homered, Cody Bellinger hit the game tying homer, and the Dodgers rallied to defeat the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Tuesday afternoon.
The win gets the Dodgers back in the series, now trailing 2-1 instead of 3-0. It ensures that they will not be swept this series, and it ensures that one more game will be played at Dodger Stadium, game 5 on Thursday. They would also like to go back to Atlanta for at least a game 6 as well. The Dodgers have also now beat the Braves 13 of the last 14 times they've played at Dodger Stadium.
Bellinger talked about his recent success in the postseason, saying that "It’s a whole different season. Luckily for me I got a clean slate going into the postseason and I was feeling good towards the end of the regular season. I just tried to continue that and continue that feel into the postseason and help this team win."
Seager got the action going early for the Dodgers, blasting a two run home run in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. In the 4th inning, the Braves surged. Joc Pederson and Adam Duvall each hit RBI singles, tying the game 2-2. Pederson then scored on a shallow single from Dansby Swanson. Duvall then scored when Eddie Rosario drew a bases loaded walk, making it a 4-2 Braves lead.
In the 5th, Duvall produced another RBI single, plating another run to make it 5-2 Braves. Then came the 8th inning. First, it was Bellinger who broke the ice with a game tying 3 run home run, tying the game 5-5 with one of his biggest hits of the season. Mookie Betts then gave the Dodgers a 6-5 lead with an RBI double to right center field. That lead managed to hold.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talked about the comeback in the 8th inning, saying that "We were dead in the water, you could see it. Then to hit a homer, it just flipped everything. We’ve got a very good ballclub, but we just needed that kind of shot in the arm."
Tony Gonsolin got the win while pitching 1/3 of an inning in relief for the Dodgers, to finish off the 8th inning. Walker Buehler got the start for the Dodgers, but did not last very long, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks while lasting just 3 2/3 innings. Kenley Jansen picked up his first save of the series, but he might not have if the bullpen combination of Alex Vesia, Corey Knebel, Phil Bickford, Justin Bruihl, Joe Kelly, Evan Phillips, and Gonsolin didn't keep the Braves offense quiet.
For the Braves, Luke Jackson both blew the save and got the loss, being on the mound for the home run by Bellinger, as well as the double by Betts. It wasted an otherwise strong start by Charlie Morton, who allowed two runs on 3 hits while walking 6 hitters in 5 innings pitched. AJ Minter, Tyler Matzek, and Jesse Chavez also pitched.
Jackson talked about the pitch that Bellinger homered on, saying that "I was trying to throw a fastball up and away. I actually threw it better than I thought I threw it. Out of my hand, I was like, ‘Oh, that's a ball, it's too high.’ And no, it wasn't too high. It was, you know, a good player put a good swing on it and it was pretty remarkable."
Game 4 of the series is on Wednesday night at Dodger stadium, with Julio Urias taking the mound as the Dodgers look to even the series. The Braves will go with a bullpen game, with no announced starter currently.
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