The Los Angeles Dodgers spent the opening frames of Tuesday night struggling to find any rhythm, falling victim to a barrage of strikeouts against Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale. For two innings, the offense seemed stagnant, yet beneath the surface, the Dodgers were playing a calculated game of attrition. By refusing to swing at pitches outside the zone and forcing Sale to work deep into counts, they systematically inflated his pitch count, setting the stage for a breakthrough that would eventually shift the momentum of the entire series.
The turning point arrived in the fourth inning when Kiké Hernández stepped to the plate. Batting ninth and making his first appearance of the 2026 postseason, Hernández embraced a disciplined approach designed to wear down the opposing starter. After laying off an initial changeup, he recognized a similar offering heading toward the inner third of the plate and hammered it out of the park. It was a classic Hernández moment, marking his 17th career postseason home run and providing the spark necessary to ignite a three-one victory that puts Los Angeles one win away from the NLCS.
While Hernández provided the emotional lift, Freddie Freeman added further insurance with his second home run in as many games, capping off an offensive performance that manager Dave Roberts described as an elimination-game effort. Even though superstar Shohei Ohtani struggled throughout the evening, the depth of the roster shone through as players across the lineup contributed to tiring Sale by the fifth inning. This collective patience served as a strategic blueprint for navigating elite pitching during October.
On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was virtually untouchable, delivering a masterclass in efficiency over seven innings. Recording ten strikeouts and allowing only one run on four hits, Yamamoto ensured that L.A. didn’t need to lean heavily on its bullpen beyond steady outings from Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz. With a commanding two-to-one lead in the series and their confidence surging, the Dodgers now look ahead to facing Tyler Mahle with all signs pointing toward a trip to the next round.
