Final: Dodgers win 5-3 in 11 innings, take two of three games in series against Braves
After trailing by two through eight innings, being down to their last strike in the ninth, then blowing a lead in the 10th, the Dodgers ultimately prevailed in the 11th inning to beat the Braves 5-3.
In the top half of the frame, Chris Taylor hit an RBI double off the glove of Braves third baseman Austin Riley. Trea Turner provided insurance with an RBI single later in the inning.
Brusdar Graterol took the mound in the bottom of the 11th and got the save, posting a scoreless inning in his third straight appearance.
The Dodgers are 45-26.
Final (in 11 innings): Dodgers 5, Braves 3
Braves extend game as Craig Kimbrel blow 10th inning save
It took the Braves two pitches to get the game tied again in the bottom of the 10th, after Travis d’Arnaud hit an RBI single off Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel to make it 3-3.
Kimbrel faced more trouble after that, but escaped the inning and extended the game on a deep fly ball from William Contreras that died at the warning track.
End 10th: Tied 3-3
Dodgers take the lead on Freddie Freeman’s RBI double
Freddie Freeman’s return was already the biggest story in Atlanta this weekend.
In the 10th inning, the former Braves’ star burned his old team with the series’ biggest swing, too.
After the Dodgers got the game to extras, getting a second scoreless inning out of reliever Reyes Moronta, Freeman came to the plate in the top of the 10th and led off with a double down the line, scoring automatic baserunner Trea Turner to give his new team its first lead of the night.
Craig Kimbrel will now try to close this out against his old team.
Mid 10th: Dodgers lead 3-2
Dodgers tie the game in the ninth against Kenley Jansen
Down to their last strike, the Dodgers have tied the game.
After Braves closer (and former long-time Dodger) Kenley Jansen got two quick outs in the ninth, Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor hit back-to-back singles.
After Taylor stole second to put both the tying runs in scoring position, Trayce Thompson battled back from an 0-2 count and hit a floater the other way that was just high enough to skip off first baseman Matt Olson’s glove and land in right field for a game-tying single.
Top 9th: Tied 2-2
Braves score insurance run in the seventh
The Braves had a chance to break the game open in the seventh, loading the bases with one out.
They had to settle for just one insurance run, instead, after reliever Phil Bickford inherited a bases-loaded jam from Alex Vesia and gave up only a sacrifice fly.
End 7th: Braves lead 2-0
Braves take lead, Dodgers miss another opportunity
After grinding through five scoreless innings, Tony Gonsolin finally cracked in the sixth.
After giving up a leadoff double to Travis d’Arnaud, Gonsolin got the next two batters out before finally giving up the night’s first run on an RBI single by Marcell Ozuna.
That ended Gonsolin’s night. His replacement, Yency Almonte, hit one batter and walked another but escaped the jam without more damage.
Gonsolin gave up one run, five hits and two walks while striking out five. His ERA remained 1.58, officially becoming the best in MLB again after he reached the league’s innings threshold once again.
The Dodgers had a chance to get the run back in the next inning, after getting two on with two outs. But Trea Turner struck out swinging, dropping the Dodgers to 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position tonight.
Mid 7th: Braves lead 1-0
Dodgers squander big chance as game remains scoreless
In what remains a scoreless game, the Dodgers squandered the night’s best chance yet in the sixth inning.
After a single from Freddie Freeman and double from Will Smith, the Dodgers had runners at second and third with one out.
Max Muncy, however, hit a ground ball that failed to score Freeman, who was running on contact but got caught in a rundown.
During the pickle, Smith advanced to third and Muncy made it to second. But then Justin Turner struck out to end the threat.
The Dodgers are 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position tonight.
Mid 6th: No score
Tony Gonsolin, Spencer Strider trading zeros early on
Through three innings tonight, neither team has a run.
They haven’t come all that close to any either.
The Dodgers had two aboard in the second, on singles from Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux, but came up empty. The Braves got a double in third from Adam Duvall, who then advanced to third on a wild pitch, but left him stranded.
End 3rd: No score
Tony Gonsolin takes the mound as Dodgers try to win rubber match against the Braves
ATLANTA — Going for a series win against the defending World Series champions, the Dodgers will have Tony Gonsolin on the mound, who this season has been the team’s best pitcher.
Gonsolin enters the game with a 1.58 ERA, which, with three more innings pitched, would be the best in the big-leagues among qualified pitchers.
The Dodgers had to make a late change to their lineup, scratching Zach McKinstry because of neck stiffness and putting Trayce Thompson in right field instead.
Eddy Alvarez will play in left field with Chris Taylor getting a day off.
Here’s the Dodgers full lineup:
ICYMI: Dodgers learn Daniel Hudson is out for year, then bullpen falters in loss to Braves
ATLANTA — On Saturday afternoon, the Dodgers learned they’d be without set-up man Daniel Hudson for the rest of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Later that night, they were reminded just how much they’ll miss him.
After coming back from a three-run deficit earlier in their game against the Atlanta Braves, the Dodgers’ 5-3 loss was cemented during a high-leverage sequence that, had he still been healthy, likely would have gone to Hudson.
With the score tied in the top of the eighth, the Dodgers summoned hard-throwing right-hander Brusdar Graterol out of the bullpen.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season: