Full Breakdown
Braves Even NLDS with 3-2 Win Over Dodgers on Oct 5
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Game Summary
On Oct 5 the Atlanta Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 at Dodger Stadium, tying the best-of-five NL Division Series. Left-hander Ray Kerr opened, delivering 2 2/3 scoreless innings before Freddie Freeman’s solo homer in the fourth. Right-hander Didier Fuentes entered in the sixth, retired the next nine batters and allowed a Max Muncy solo shot in the ninth. Michael Harris II went 3-for-5 with a triple, a double, a run scored on a wild pitch and an RBI double.
Background & Context
Atlanta entered the series with a thin rotation after using a bullpen starter in Game 1 and short-rest ace Chris Sale in the Wild-Card Series. Manager Walt Weiss chose to preserve Sale for Game 3, forcing a third consecutive bullpen game—a strategy that worked in the previous round.
Data & Statistics
- Braves runs: 3 (Harris II triple, Harris II RBI double, Freeman solo homer)
- Dodgers runs: 2 (Freeman solo homer, Muncy solo homer)
- Total hits: Braves 6, Dodgers 6
- Walks: Braves 3, Dodgers 5
- Strikeouts: Braves 9, Dodgers 5
- Pitching: Kerr 2 2/3 innings, 0 runs; Fuentes 3 2/3 innings, 1 run; Raisel Iglesias saved the final out.
- Dodgers starter Blake Snell: 3 2/3 innings, 90 pitches, 1 run, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts.
Official Statements & Responses
Braves manager Walt Weiss said the decision to start Kerr was driven by the need to keep Sale healthy for the upcoming game in Atlanta and highlighted confidence in the bullpen’s depth.
Verbatim Quotes
- “At the end of the day, we want full-strength Chris Sale,” — Walt Weiss, Braves manager
- “I was like, 'All right, let's do it,'” — Ray Kerr, Braves pitcher
What’s Next
Game 3 shifts to Truist Park, where Chris Sale is slated to start against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The winner will take a 2-1 lead with the series potentially ending in Game 4 or a decisive Game 5.