Teoscar Hernández reacts after striking out in the fifth inning during a 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The most impressive number the Dodgers put up this season was 100 — the games they won. They had to do a lot of things right to get there.
No Dodger ranked among the top 16 in the majors in home runs or the top 37 in RBIs, yet they were fourth in runs scored. How? They were third in the majors in walks and near the bottom in strikeouts, which allowed them to manufacture runs by stringing together long innings rather than relying on the long ball.
Two games into the postseason, that script has flipped. After Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Braves, the Dodgers head to Atlanta with their best-of-five National League Division Series tied. Suddenly the Braves, who will start ace Chris Sale on Tuesday, have the edge.
“Getting the split in this place against these guys, yeah, it’s awesome,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said.
All seven of the Dodgers’ runs in the NLDS have come on five home runs, three of them with the bases empty. The Dodgers are 0 for 9 with men in scoring position, stranding 13 runners. They’ve also struck out three times more often than they’ve walked and are batting .215 against the relay team of 10 pitchers Atlanta has used.
“We didn’t throw out a bunch of hits, but there was still traffic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We didn’t need many hits tonight to have a different result, and we just couldn’t get it.”
Sure it’s a small sample; just two games. Yet it should be a troubling one for the Dodgers, the two-time defending World Series champions.
“Sometimes it’s just you can’t hit,” said Mookie Betts, who walked twice. “I mean, there’s nothing really you can do to explain that. You’ve just got to be in the moment and come through. We had some moments today [when] we didn’t come through.
“That’s part of the game. We’ve just got to keep giving ourselves moments, and eventually something will happen.”
“We’ve got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run,” added Freddie Freeman, who homered Sunday and has three hits in the series. “That’s our biggest thing right now. So keep getting guys on base and get that big hit.”
Freeman said the Braves have done a good job keeping the Dodgers hitters off-balance by emptying their bullpen, sending in a fresh pitcher every couple of innings.
“It’s tough because you’re facing a different arm every single time you’re going up there,” Freeman said. “It’s different angles, different velocities, different things. So stringing hits together is very hard.
“This is the playoffs. We’re not going to score eight to 10 runs. It’s hard. Pitching staffs are good.”
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández wondered whether the Braves’ game plan might soon backfire. Aside from Sale, Weiss has few pitchers left the Dodgers haven’t seen; eventually they’ll catch up, he says.
“We’ve seen basically the best out of the bullpen,” Hernández said. “We can have a better plan for Tuesday and Wednesday.”
Will Smith reacts after popping out during the fifth inning in the Dodgers' 3-2 loss to the Braves on Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Although the Dodgers committed the second-fewest errors and gave up the fewest unearned runs this season, they haven’t looked sharp defensively in the postseason, with all three Atlanta runs Sunday coming with two outs.
The Braves loaded the bases in the first inning on a single and two walks before scoring when a diving Betts snared a Mauricio Dubón grounder up the middle, but threw wild and late to first, enabling Ronald Acuña Jr. to score. They then went ahead to stay in the fifth on a line drive to left that Hernández misplayed into a triple, followed by reliever Kris Bubic’s wild pitch.
“I didn’t think he hit it that good,” Hernández said. “I didn’t break in, but I broke to the side. And then when I realized, it was too late.”
Atlanta’s final run came in the seventh when Michael Harris II one-hopped the wall in right-center, allowing Matt Olson, running from first on the full-count pitch, to score.
Now the advantage swings to the Braves, who go to Truist Park, where they had the second-best home record in the league.
“We knew it was going to be a battle. We knew those guys weren’t going to go down,” Roberts said of the Braves.
Unfortunately, the solo shot wasn’t enough to bring Los Angeles back. Josue De Paula popped out one batter later, cementing the Braves 3-2 win and evening the series 1-1 as it heads to Atlanta.
It seemed that Kellie tried to spark some good fortune for her husband’s team. She made an Instagram post showing the hilarious Max Muncy bobblehead t-shirts that she and the children were wearing. It was captioned, “Keepin’ it for game ”.
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectKellie Muncy poses with her three children while wearing matching Max Muncy bobblehead t-shirts. (Instagram/@kellie_muncy).
The post was made late in Sunday’s game, a short time before Muncy hit that ninth inning blast.
This marked the second straight game where Muncy hit a home run, extending his record for the most homers in franchise history (18).
Muncy is one of the few Dodgers players who are clicking at the plate right now.
Fans will hope that Kellie makes another Instagram post during Game 3 on Tuesday, since it seems to be a good luck charm for her husband.
Kellie Muncy poses for a photo at a Los Angeles Dodgers game. (Instagram/@kellie_muncy).
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves reacts to a play during Game Two of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, October 4, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In the pregame press conference preceding Game 2 of the NLDS, Walt Weiss stated that he was going to just “watch and see what happens” when it came to relying on his bullpen to carry him and the rest of the Atlanta Braves through another high-stakes Postseason game.
As it turned out, one reliever in particular took it upon himself to carry the Braves through nearly the entire final three innings of an eventual 3-2, series-tying win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Didier Fuentes was absolutely dazzling with his only real blemish being a ninth-inning solo homer with two outs given to Max Muncy. With that being said, the 11 outs that Fuentes did get were absolutely huge and definitely helped carry the Braves across the finish line in order to steal home field advantage ahead of a Chris Sale start in Game 3.
“We’re in a good position,” said Weiss when he was asked during the postgame press conference about his pitching plans for once the series shifts to Cobb County. “We’ve got Chris Sale lined up after a split here…Look, we’ve got to face more Cy Young Award winners for [the Dodgers]. Every starter on their staff is a Cy Young guy. It doesn’t get any easier, but I like the fact that we go back home even and we have Chris Sale.”
“I think whenever you have Sale on the mound, you’ve seen it the last couple years about what he can do. You feel good whenever you’re playing at home and Sale’s on the mound,” said Drake Baldwin (who got on base three times with three walks in this one) when he was asked about going back home with a Chris Sale start coming up next. “Being tied, you feel a little bit better than being down 0-2.”
When Weiss was asked about whether or not having Fuentes go 2.2 innings was the plan all along, Weiss stayed true to his word when he stated that he was simply going to watch and observe what happened and go from there. “It wasn’t the plan, believe me,” exclaimed Weiss. “When I went to him in the sixth, I was thinking ‘I’ve got to get the last four innings between him and Iglesias.’ To be honest with you, I thought it would probably be most likely two and two, but Didi was throwing the ball so well, I didn’t want to mess with that. After his third inning, I looked at our pitching coach [and said], ‘Let’s see how he feels. If he feels good enough, I want to send him back out.’ I didn’t want to mess with a good thing. He was throwing the ball really well.”
Indeed, it felt similar to how he let Ray Kerr (who was excellent once again during Game 2 of the NLDS) go for as long as possible in Game 3 — and it’s also a testament to the trust and faith that Weiss has placed in his players all season. If he feels like his pitchers are doing well, he’s going to let them go — within reason. He’s not the type to hang someone out to dry or to leave a guy in simply to get a round number in the “IP” category but he does show plenty of faith in his players to get the job done in their stated role and he did just that with Fuentes tonight.
Fuentes’s efforts ended up making for a short night for closer Raisel Iglesias, who got 21-year-old Josue De Paula to pop out in order to end the game and lock down the victory for Atlanta.
“Look, Iglesias is one of the best closers in the game. Like I said, I just didn’t want to mess with a good thing,” continued Weiss as he talked about why he left Fuentes in for as long as he did. “I was going to give him one base runner. It was hitter to hitter in the ninth. He happened to get two quick outs. I was going to Iglesias the first hitter that got on. Yeah, [he] gave up the homer to Muncy, and that obviously was time [for him to leave]. But I don’t want to get in the way of a good thing.”
While Didier Fuentes stole the show with his efforts on the mound, the hometown kid Michael Harris II continued to rake at the plate. Harris had 18 games with at least three hits during the regular season and he’s now pulled it off in two of the five Postseason games that the Braves have played so far. His big double in the seventh inning wound up being the difference, as Matt Olson scored what turned out to be the winning run that gave the Braves enough breathing room to survive.
“I think it means a lot to obviously overcome what happened yesterday, not winning the game, and taking momentum and going back to Atlanta and potentially hand the ball off to either Mahle or Sale,” said Harris when he was asked about how big it was to pick up the split. “I think that gives us confidence and motivation to come back with some momentum.”
When Harris was asked about how it felt to be producing at such a high level for the team that he grew up being a fan of and watching, Money Mike was full of hometown pride in that regard. “Yeah, it means a lot just knowing I was there in that situation watching [the 2021 NLCS],” said Harris. “Watching [Austin Riley] hit the walkoff [in Game 1 of that series] and being there for that, just chanting MVP for him. Now we’re here in the playoffs trying to do the same thing.”
“Yeah, it means a lot, and now I’m out on the field to be able to wear that jersey in front of the city that I grew up in and I was once sitting in those seats,” continued Harris. “Yeah, it feels good.”
It’s certainly a treat to see someone with local ties deliver in such a big moment for the Braves and now he’ll be in a similar position to deliver in front of the hometown fans once the series shifts to Atlanta on Tuesday. The Braves now have home field advantage in this series and are now on the front foot with a day of rest and two of their best starters lined up for the next two games. Again, it won’t be easy but as Weiss has continued to maintain all season, this team has proven that they’re at their best with their backs against the wall.
Hopefully they’ll be able to put the Dodgers in that position with a win in Game 3 with Chris Sale starting. The bullpen has carried this team through — now it’s Sale and the rotation’s turn. We’ll see what happens going forward!
The Atlanta Braves walked into their National League Division Series with an enormous self-inflicted wound, and the Dodgers had them right where they wanted after claiming the opening game.
But as this series heads to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4, the Dodgers unexpectedly find themselves in trouble.
Serious trouble.
Possibly dynasty-ending trouble.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani watches from the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
So much for the Dodgers’ edge in pitching.
So much for the Braves being worn down.
The Dodgers handed back whatever advantages they had in an unforgivable 3-2 defeat on Sunday that leveled the series at one game apiece.
This is a series now.
If the Dodgers are to advance to the NL Championship Series, they will have to earn it.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Robert Suarez reacts after the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If there is a Game 5, it will be played at Dodger Stadium, with Tarik Skubal scaling the mound for the Dodgers and the Braves resorting to their third bullpen game of the series. Skubal blanked the Braves over six innings in Game 1, but six Braves relievers combined to shut down the Dodgers in Game 2.
The Braves have found a realistic path to victory in a series in which they looked as if they had no chance just a day earlier.
How did it come to this?
The short answer is that Braves manager Walt Weiss gambled – and won.
Instead of starting Sale in Game 2, Weiss elected to push him back two days and have him pitch Game 3.
If Sale would have pitched on Sunday, he would have done so on four-days’ rest, which the 37-year-old hadn’t done since April. Sale was only three days removed from converting a four-out save against the Philadelphia Phillies in a Wild Card Series.
The downside for the Braves was considerable. Their two previous games were also bullpen games, and they were counting on a run-down group of relievers to take down Snell and stop the Dodgers from taking a two-games-to-none lead.
The Dodgers are at fault for that not happening.
If their dreams of a three-peat evaporate over the next week, Game 2 will be the game on which they look back with regret.
The Braves didn’t win this game as much as the Dodgers lost it.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell reacts before coming out of the game in the fourth inning. Wally Skalij for CA PostAtlanta Braves’ Michael Harris celebrates his triple against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post
They had one of their aces on the mound in Blake Snell.
And Snell absolutely stunk.
They had Shohei Ohtani in the batter’s box with two runners on base in the third inning.
And Ohtani popped up.
They started the fifth inning with Mookie Betts drawing a walk and Ohtani advancing him to second base with a ground-ball single.
And Will Smith, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez failed to drive either of them in.
The Dodgers left seven men on base. They were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. The only runs they scored were the result of a fourth-inning home run by Freeman and a solo shot from Max Muncy in the ninth.
The offense doesn’t look right, with Ohtani out of sync and the team not being able to score unless they knock the ball over the fence. Three homers were responsible for each of the five runs they scored in their Game 1 victory.
As was the case last year, the Dodgers will be counting on Yoshinobu Yamamoto to save their season.
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez cannot reach the ball on a triple by Atlanta Braves’ Michael Harris in the fifth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS. Wally Skalij for CA Post
When the Dodgers were behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series by a three-games-to-two deficit last year, it was Yamamoto who won Game 6.
When they ran out of pitchers a day later in Game 7, it was Yamamoto who pitched the final 2 ⅔ innings.
Tuesday night at Truist Field, Yamamoto will pitch opposite of Sale.
How Yamamoto performs could determine whether the Dodgers win the World Series – and how they are remembered.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (18), outfielder Michael Harris II (23) and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell didn't make it out of the fourth inning in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The inning could have — arguably should have — been over already. But instead, the Atlanta Braves’ Michael Harris II stood 90 feet away from scoring the go-ahead run.
And the Dodgers, who failed to take care of the little things Sunday night, handed the lead back to the Braves.
Left-handed reliever Kris Bubic lost control of a sweeper. And it flew high and outside, off the end of catcher Will Smith’s glove and to the edge of the grass behind home plate.
Harris scored standing up. And the Dodgers trailed for the final five innings of Game 2 of the National League Division Series, ultimately a 3-2 loss, evening the series.
“We didn’t want to give in there,” said Bubic, who was trying to throw that slider for strike in a 2-and-0 count to Mauricio Dubón. “But that’s the last thing you want to do there.”
That wild pitch was one of many Dodgers missteps Sunday.
They entered Game 2 with a long list of advantages: The Dodgers were playing at home, they had momentum from the win the day before, they had one of best starting pitchers on the mound to counter a second straight Braves bullpen game.
They gave away every edge they had.
“We all knew it was going to be a good series,” veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “Just two really good teams going at it. Pitching’s been really good.”
Braves left-hander Ray Kerr, who excelled down the stretch as a long reliever, served as the opener Sunday. And the Braves used six pitchers, leaning on right-hander Didier Fuentes for 3⅔ innings, to hold the Dodgers to two solo homers.
The Dodgers, despite starting two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, used seven pitchers. So much for that advantage.
The Dodgers managed just two hits off Kerr, each to open an inning. Freeman lined a single into right field to kick off the second. And Miguel Rojas sent a double into the left-field corner to begin the third.
The Dodgers stranded both — in sequences that included a pop-out bunt from Tommy Edman. Shohei Ohtani was the last batter Kerr faced, and with two runners on and one out, Ohtani popped up a high cutter in a full count.
Snell lasted only one inning more than Kerr.
Snell’s first frame easily could have spiraled. With one out, he gave up a single to Ronald Acuña Jr. and walked Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies to load the bases. But Snell escaped with just one run scored, on a grounder up the middle from Dubón. Shortstop Mookie Betts made a diving stop but had no chance at throwing out Dubón.
Snell then struck out Sean Murphy to end the inning, finishing the at-bat with three straight curveballs for strikes.
The one-run deficit could be erased. But the damage on his pitch count, up to 27 in that first inning, was done.
Snell surrendered just one more hit, but when he issued his fifth walk with two outs in the fourth inning, his pitch count was up to 90. Manager Dave Roberts strode from the dugout to pull him.
“He just was fighting himself with his delivery all game,” Roberts said, saying the groin injury that limited Snell in late September had not resurfaced. “I think in total, didn’t have fastball command, didn’t have slider command, and the changeup wasn’t there. He was pulling it.”
In the bottom half of the inning, Freeman, who was optimistic that he could shake off his September slump over the bye week, tied the score with a homer. But sloppy play extended the fifth inning and put the Dodgers in a hole again.
With two outs, in an 0-and-2 count, Bubic got Harris to chase an outside sweeper moving away from him. Harris leaned over to get his bat out to it and sent a line drive into the left field corner.
The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández took a circuitous route to the ball and still missed by only inches. It caromed off the wall, allowing Harris to reach third base, in position to score on Bubic’s wild pitch.
“I didn’t think he hit it that good,” Hernández said. “I didn’t break in, but I broke to the side, and then when I realized, it was too late. Maybe I had a shot on it.”
The Dodgers had a chance at a comeback as soon as they were at bat again. But after they got two runners on against left-hander Dylan Lee, the Braves turned to Robert Suarez. He and Fuentes combined to retire 14 straight — a streak Max Muncy finally broke by hitting a homer with two outs in the ninth inning.
“It showed that they’re going to use any pitcher, try to get every matchup possible,” Roberts said. “ Obviously them pushing Fuentes to almost four innings, 40-something pitches, shows they’re going to ride certain guys.”
Max Muncy celebrates while crossing home plate after a solo home run during the ninth inning Sunday. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
While the Dodgers have a deeper rotation, the bullpen advantage goes to the Braves.
The Braves expanded their lead in the seventh inning against hard-throwing right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, who gave up a single to Olson and an RBI double to Harris.
Then right-hander Roki Sasaki got himself into a bases-loaded situation in the eighth, with Acuña at the plate, but got out of it with a double play. Sasaki then retired the side in order in the ninth.
Next, the series heads to Atlanta for two games. And Game 3 will be a matchup of two aces, Chris Sale for the Braves and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers.
No longer is everything stacked in the Dodgers’ favor.
Said Hernández: “We’ve been in tougher spots than this one.”
Oct 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes (72) celebrates with catcher Drake Baldwin (30) after the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Walt Weiss and the Braves’ staff made the bold decision to hold off ace Chris Sale from Game 2 of Atlanta’s National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday night.
If they could manage to win without throwing their top two starters, they would head back to Atlanta tied at 1 with Sale and Tyler Mahle lined up to start the two home games in the series.
But by doing so, they would be throwing a third straight bullpen game and reducing their chances of winning Game 2.
The bold move paid off as six relievers combined to hold down the Dodgers’ bats and the Atlanta offense did just enough to eke out a 3-2 win in Los Angeles, sending the best-of-five series back to Atlanta level at one win apiece.
For a time, it looked like Didier Fuentes, who had an up-and-down wild-card series, was going to carry the final four innings himself. He entered in the bottom of the sixth and retired the first 11 batters he faced to protect a 3-1 lead before Max Muncy hit a solo homer off him with two outs in the ninth to cut the deficit to one run.
Raisel Iglesias came out of the bullpen and got the final out, getting Josue De Paula to pop out in foul territory to close out the win.
The win didn’t have to be as stressful as it proved to be for the Braves, who stranded 11 runners on base.
The Braves had Dodgers starter Blake Snell on the ropes in the first inning, loading the bases with one out on Ronald Acuña Jr.’s single followed by consecutive walks from Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies. Atlanta did plate the first run of the game on Mauricio Dubón’s infield single with two outs. But Sean Murphy’s strikeout prevented the Braves from putting up a crooked number.
Ray Kerr did the opener job for the second time in four days, delivering 2 2/3 innings of scoreless work to run his total to six shutout innings on just three hits over his first two postseason starts. He struck out two in a 1-2-3 first and then navigated a leadoff Freddie Freeman single in the second.
He ran into some trouble with Miguel Rojas’ leadoff double in the third but recorded two outs around a walk and then was replaced by Grant Holmes, who got Will Smith to ground out to third on his first pitch to end the threat.
Holmes didn’t carry that same success into the fourth, when old friend Freddie Freeman led off with a game-tying solo homer. The Dodgers chased Holmes after he got just two outs after a single followed by a walk, but Dylan Lee entered the game, struck out Max Muncy and got Tommy Edman to pop out to escape another threat with the game tied at 1.
The Braves reclaimed the lead in the next half-inning, when Michael Harris II delivered a two-out triple just over Teoscar Hernandez’s glove down the left field line and came home on Kris Bubic’s wild pitch.
The Dodgers appeared poised to again tie the game or take the lead when they put the first two runners of the fifth on base against Lee. Robert Suarez entered, however, and retired the next two batters on flyouts before striking out Hernandez to escape with the lead intact.
Los Angeles finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding seven runners.
Harris then added onto the lead with his third hit in the seventh, an RBI double to score Olson, leaving him a homer short of the cycle.
That run proved critical when Muncy hit his second homer in as many games of this series to chase Fuentes. But Iglesias needed just three pitches to retire De Paula and close out a highly improbable — and quite possibly series-altering — win for the Braves.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after striking out during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Turns out, Sunday was a bullpen game for both teams at Dodger Stadium, whether by design or not. But the Dodgers managed only two runs against six Braves pitchers in a slog of a game and a 3-2 loss to even the National League Division Series at one game apiece.
Blake Snell did not have it in his start, and in retrospect it was a minor miracle he left with only one run against his ledger. His first inning took 27 pitches with two singles, two walks, and a run, but he escaped with by striking out Sean Murphy.
After allowing two-out baserunners in the second and third innings with no damage, Snell regressed in the fourth with two more walks, giving him a season-high five walks on the evening. It’s the most walks by Snell in a start since August 24, 2024, when he walked six while with the San Francisco Giants.
But all that traffic meant 90 pitches for Snell to get just 11 outs, with nearly as many balls (43) as strikes (47).
Brock Stewart got the final out of the fourth inning to strand those two runners left by Snell. That started the bullpen game that the Dodgers very much were not expecting.
A rarity
Left-hander Kris Bubic, acquired at the trade deadline from the Kansas City Royals while on the 60-day injured list, is a starting pitcher and former All-Star who has pitched in relief through his rehab assignment and into the majors because that’s where the need arose in Los Angeles. It has mostly worked swimmingly, through six rehab outings in Triple-A and five games with the Dodgers down the stretch.
Bubic’s 12th appearance in the organization came to start the fifth inning, and he got the first two outs before Michael Harris II hit a ball into the left field corner that Teoscar Hernández played into a triple. That was the first extra-base hit Bubic allowed during those 12 games, with Harris his 43rd batter faced. Nobody had yet scored against Bubic either in 11 innings, until he uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Harris to scamper home with the go-ahead run.
Déjà vu
For the second straight game, the Dodgers failed to score against the first pitcher in a Braves bullpen game. After Dylan Dodd pitched three scoreless innings to open Game 1, fellow southpaw Ray Kerr got the first eight outs on Sunday and kept the Dodgers from scoring.
Miguel Rojas, who hit .293/.240/.469 with a 121 wRC+ against left-handers this season, got the start at third base and paid dividends in the form of a leadoff double off Kerr in the third inning. But that rally was neutered by Tommy Edman, a switch-hitter with a career 118 wRC+ against southpaws, attempted a bunt for some reason but instead popped out to Austin Riley at third base. Then Shohei Ohtani continued his expedition outside the strike zone before popping out weakly.
Once again, the Dodgers scored against the first Braves reliever, and did so again via the long ball. Freddie Freeman took Holmes deep in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1, Freeman’s first home run since September 2, snapping a skid of 85 plate appearances without one. Before that, Freeman went 47 full games and 196 plate appearances without a homer. A good chunk of that time had Freeman plagued by a right knee injury, though Freeman over the final week of the season insisted the knee got healthy, but he had developed bad habits with his swing that he tried to correct over the five days off before the NLDS.
Through two games of the NLDS, Freeman has gotten three hits, and scored in each contest.
Rough first game back
Edgardo Henriquez was one of the Dodgers’ best relievers this season, but he spent the last two weeks of the regular season on the injured list with lower back discomfort. He entered the seventh inning on Sunday with the Dodgers trailing 2-1. The stuff looked good in Henriquez’s first game in three weeks, well into triple digits with his fastball, but lefties Matt Olson got and Harris tagged Henriquez for hits, with Harris delivering a two-out double to score Olson from first base, widening Atlanta’s advantage to 3-1.
Starring performance
The Dodgers had their chances on offense, putting eight runners on base in the first five innings. But only one of them scored, thanks to seven hitless at-bats with runners in scoring position. 21-year-old Braves right-hander Didier Fuentes simply fixed that glitch for Atlanta, and didn’t permit any Dodgers to reach base at all in his first three innings, and even pitched into the ninth, getting two more outs. Then he gave up a home run to Max Muncy, pulling the Dodgers within one and pulling Fuentes from the game, robbing the world of the second four-inning save of this postseason.
Fuentes threw 47 pitches to record his 11 outs and struck out three Dodgers, after a 31-percent strikeout rate to fuel his 2.45 ERA in 73 1/3 innings during the regular season.
Muncy’s home run brought in Raisel Iglesias, the Braves’ closer, and brought pinch-hitter Josue De Paula to the plate as the potential tying run. It was the first major league postseason at-bat for the 21-year-old De Paula, but he popped out in four territory to end the game with the Dodgers just short.
The Dodgers turn to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3 in Atlanta on Tuesday night (3:08 p.m. PT, FS1), while the Braves will have ace Chris Sale rested and ready to start after a pair of Atlanta bullpen games to open the series.
The unexpected twist: The Dodgers essentially had to do the same thing, as well.
After a rather straightforward victory in the opening game of this best-of-five series, nothing went according to plan for the Dodgers on Sunday.
Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. celebrates with teammates after scoring off an RBI single by Mauricio Dubón during the first inning of Game 2 of a National League Division Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Blake Snell failed to complete four innings, grinding through poor command and long at-bats in a start that included only one run but also five walks.
The relief corps was saddled with a heavy workload, turning another sweltering night at Chavez Ravine into a sweat-inducing battle of the bullpens.
And after the Dodgers gift-wrapped the Braves a run in the fifth inning, when Teoscar Hernández turned a fly ball down the line into a triple and Kris Bubic threw a run-scoring wild pitch, the two-time defending champions found themselves on the back foot for the first time this fall.
In a 3-2 loss, they wouldn’t recover.
Instead, a series the Dodgers seemed to have under control coming into Sunday has quickly been flipped on its head.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy hits a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The Braves’ decision to save staff ace Chris Sale for Game 3 –– the highly-debated pre-game talking point –– now looks prescient. The Dodgers’ decision to start Snell in Game 2, and not Yoshinobu Yamamoto, might now be questionable.
And while the Braves had to burn through the heart of their bullpen, using six different arms to piece together 27 outs, so too did the Dodgers, who summoned six relievers of their own in a losing effort.
With Game 3 set for Tuesday night back in Atlanta, this 1-1 series suddenly appears to be up for grabs.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We knew those guys weren’t going to go down.”
Still, it’s hard not to feel like what really happened Sunday was the Dodgers letting a previously dazed Braves squad climb back off the mat.
“I felt really good where we were at,” Roberts added. “We just couldn’t execute as the game progressed.”
Atlanta Braves Michael Harris celebrates his triple against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning. Wally Skalij for CA Post
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani watches from the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Really, the Dodgers were behind from the start on Sunday, with Snell –– who had previously pitched just five innings since Sept. 11 because of a groin injury, yet got the nod for Game 2 to remain on his regular pitching schedule –– giving up a quick run in the first.
The Braves loaded the bases with one out, on a single from Ronald Acuña Jr. and two walks from Snell. Mauricio Dubón got a run home on an infield knock, sending a ground ball deep into the hole at shortstop that Mookie Betts fielded but made an errant throw to first on.
Snell ultimately limited the damage there, but required 27 pitches in doing so. By the time he was pulled with two outs in the fourth, that total had already ballooned to 90.
“He just was fighting himself with his delivery all game,” Roberts said of Snell, who was not in the Dodgers’ clubhouse postgame because of what the team said was a family matter. “It wasn’t the groin. He just wasn’t sharp tonight.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell comes out of the game against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The bigger problem was the Dodgers’ inability to get to the Braves’ bullpen, starting with left-handed opener Ray Kerr.
Showing no signs of fatigue just two days removed from a heroic 47-pitch outing in Game 3 of the wild-card series, Kerr gave Atlanta unexpected length.
The former minor-league journeyman worked all the way into the third without damage. He struck out four batters. He even got Shohei Ohtani out twice, including on a first-inning punchout with an inside fastball.
“I think with Shohei, if you look at the at-bats, there’s a lot of chase,” Roberts said of Ohtani, who has managed just two singles so far this series while continuing to play through right arm and left knee injuries.
“I haven’t heard anything other than he feels fine [physically]. So I don’t know if he’s trying to do too much because he doesn’t feel perfect. But this time of year, no one feels perfect. He’s doing the best he can.”
Trouble was brewing in Kerr’s final frame, after Miguel Rojas –– inserted into the starting lineup in place of Max Muncy to counteract the southpaw –– roped a full-count curveball down the line for a leadoff double.
But, in a maddening sequence of situational ineffectiveness, the Dodgers couldn’t take advantage.
Tommy Edman popped up on a bunt, as part of a second-straight hitless performance. Ohtani popped out on another chase, after missing a center-cut pitch earlier in the at-bat. Will Smith rolled over on a first-pitch slider, contributing to his team-worst 0-for-8 mark this weekend.
“We had opportunities,” Roberts said. “We just couldn’t get a hit when we needed to.”
It would become the theme of the night, with the Dodgers going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position while stranding seven men on base.
So far this series, all seven of their runs have come via homers.
“Got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “I think that’s our biggest thing right now.”
Atlanta Braves pitcher Ray Kerr throws during the first inning. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Freeman did hit a home run in the bottom of the fourth –– a positive sign after belting just one in his final 66 regular-season games while battling a right knee injury –– lifting a low slider from right-hander Grant Holmes over the wall in right to tie the score at 1-1.
But there would be another missed chance later in the inning, with high-leverage Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee stranding a pair of runners, before the Dodgers fell right back behind in the fifth on the miscues from Hernández and Bubic.
Off the bat, Hernández appeared to have a bead on a slicing opposite-field, two-out line drive from Michael Harris II. But the ball kept drifting away from him, evading his outstretched glove before rattling around in the corner for a triple.
“I didn’t break in, but I broke to the side [instead of straight back]. And then when I realized, it was too late,” Hernández said. “I still thought I had a shot at it, but it just kept carrying.”
Three pitches later, Bubic airmailed a sweeper that catcher Will Smith couldn’t handle. The self-inflicted wound left the Dodgers trailing again, 2-1.
“I just lost it out of hand,” Bubic said. “It’s never an ideal situation, but especially with a runner on third there.”
From then on, the rest of the game was a frustrating grind, with the Dodgers facing one stout reliever after the next.
In the bottom of the fifth, hard-throwing right-hander Robert Suarez inherited a two-on, no-out jam but escaped unscathed, ending the inning on a 50/50 check swing call that went against Hernández.
After that, another rocket-armed righty, 21-year-old Didier Fuentes, went nine up, nine down over three scoreless innings –– all while the Braves extended their lead on a two-out RBI double Harris smacked against a dead-red cutter from Edgardo Henriquez in the seventh.
“Bullpen games are hard,” Freeman said. “You’re facing a different arm every single time you’re going up there. It’s different angles, different velocities, different things.”
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez cannot reach the ball on a triple by Atlanta Braves’ Michael Harris in the fifth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The last arm the Dodgers faced wouldn’t come until two outs in the ninth, after the Braves sent Fuentes back to the mound for a fourth inning of work, watched him finally give up a home run to Muncy, then summoned veteran closer Raisel Iglesias for the final out.
That came way of pinch-hitting rookie phenom Josue De Paula, who popped up in foul ground right in front of the Dodgers’ dugout for the final out.
They trudged back to the clubhouse, while the Braves reveled in an unforeseen win.
“Getting the split in this place against these guys, yeah, it’s awesome,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “We’re in a good position. We’ve got Chris Sale lined up.”
Indeed, the Dodgers have now squandered their home-field advantage. They no longer hold a clear pitching edge, either.
Sale (who shut out the Dodgers in August) will face Yamamoto in an epic –– and pivotal –– Game 3 showdown. Tyler Mahle (who had a sub-2.00 ERA after a deadline trade to the Braves) and Tyler Glasnow are scheduled for Game 4.
“We all knew it was going to be a good series,” Freeman insisted.
It’s just that, it seemed like it would be a whole lot easier for the Dodgers given the state of play at the start of the day.
“We know what’s at stake on Tuesday,” Freeman said. “We need to get that win.”
Major League Baseball's further-expanded postseason probably means that no playoff records will be safe in the years to come, with more October games than ever before.
All 18 of Mickey Mantle's home runs came in the World Series as the Hall of Famer retired before the introduction of the League Championship Series in 1969. Previously, the top team in each league would go directly to the World Series at the end of the regular season.
These days with a 12-team postseason field, a team can play up to 22 games – compared to seven in Mantle's day – meaning plenty more opportunities to accumulate stats on baseball's biggest stage.
But Manny Ramirez, who last played in the postseason in 2009, still holds the record with 29 home runs in the postseason. Jose Altuve ranks second in history with 28 – including one in the AL wild card series – but the Houston Astros will have to get back to the postseason
Here's a look a the all-time leaders in career postseason home runs:
LOS ANGELES – Josue De Paula's plans for October originally included a trip back home and three weeks off to spend time with family before picking up his offseason training regimen. That was until he got a call from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts a few days ago.
Instead, the 21-year-old rookie will spend the month on the Dodgers' postseason roster, waiting in the wings for when Roberts calls his number.
"I was shocked. I was happy," De Paula said. "There was a lot of emotions going on at the same time. A lot of thoughts going into it, like envisioning how this is going to be. I'm just going along for the ride and see how everything comes to me."
De Paula's role will be primarily as a lefty bat off the bench, and Roberts has mentioned there aren't many guys in his lineup that he'll pinch-hit for, so his opportunities will be limited as the Dodgers attempt to make history in their push for a third consecutive World Series championship.
It's not a position he's used to; De Paula admits he's only been a pinch hitter once or twice in his entire minor league career, the most recent of which was in 2024 with High-A Great Lakes. He pinch-hit once in his first big league series on the road in Cincinnati and recalls liking the adrenaline that came with it. To build on that, De Paula has been leaning on the vets in the clubhouse to try and keep everything as close to his normal routine as possible despite the unfamiliar role.
Still, the organization's co-minor league player of the year made such an impression on both Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman in his first 11 big league games in September that they have full trust in De Paula to be their "bullet off the bench" in big situations. If needed, they won't hesitate to go to him.
"To have somebody like that, those two people to have so much confidence in me, it just kind of gives me extra confidence. Obviously I feel like I have a lot of confidence in myself to go out there and handle business, but to have those guys backing me, it's like, 'Oh, yeah, let's get it started,'" De Paula told USA TODAY Sports. "'Let's fight.'"
His poise at the plate and calm demeanor both in the box and with the media is balanced out by the energy De Paula brings out once he does square up a ball or draw a walk. The utter joy with which he approaches his game made every at-bat must-watch viewing over the roughly two-week span he filled in for an injured Shohei Ohtani.
Not that he planned to become a fan favorite; it's just who De Paula is. And it makes him contagious.
"At the end of the day this is a game," he said. "And I just try to make sure everybody's having fun while we're doing it. Why not kick butt and have fun at the same time, you know what I'm saying?"
Playing time is going to be scarce, so De Paula's using the time to his advantage. He's worked with Roberts on shagging flyballs, he's taken grounders from third base coach Dino Ebel, and he's picking the brain of six-time Gold Glove outfielder Mookie Betts.
Last October, De Paula was watching the Dodgers repeat from Miami. This time, he's in the dugout at Dodger Stadium, soaking up every moment he can as he waits for his postseason moment.
"I just feel like you can't replicate it anywhere else," he said. "Seeing it on TV and being here is two different worlds."
This is why it’s always cool to see Mamiko out in public, particularly when she’s at Dodgers games.
Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and his wife Mamiko Tanaka walk on the red carpet ahead of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images) Getty Images
All of these wives posed for a photo together pregame, which was posted on the @ladodgerwives Instagram account.
“Game 2, little less hot but we’re still [bringing] the heat ,” the post was captioned.
Mamiko Tanaka can be seen in the second row, on the far left. She’s wearing a black top in the photo.
Shohei Ohtani’s wife, Mamiko Tanaka, poses for a photo alongside other Los Angeles Dodgers WAGs. (Instagram/@ladodgerwives).
Tanaka also appeared at NLDS Game 1 on Saturday. She was rocking a similar outfit in the WAG group’s photo, but this time she was posing in the front row and holding a See’s Candies bag.
Shohei Ohtani’s wife, Mamiko Tanaka, poses for a photo while holding a See’s Candies bag. (Instagram/@ladodgerwives).
Ohtani and Tanaka have two children. It looks like they were able to get a babysitter for these two games, especially because it might not have been safe for them in the insane heat Los Angeles is experiencing this weekend.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is seen during practice at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Ohtani and his teammates are looking to turn up the heat on Atlanta by going ahead 2-0 in the series.
Kyle Tucker started the season as the Dodgers’ No. 2 hitter.
There’s a chance he ends it batting in that spot.
No joke.
By the time the Dodgers reach the World Series, Kyle Tucker — yes, that Kyle Tucker — could be back in the heart of their order.
That probably won’t happen over the remainder of the National League Division Series against the Braves. But making the $240 million disappointment a focal part of the offense will be something the Dodgers might have to eventually consider, especially if their two best left-handed hitters prove to be physically compromised.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker celebrates his two-run home run with Teoscar Hernandez against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning of Game 1 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Ohtani batted second for the Dodgers in the first two games of the NLDS, and Freeman batted cleanup. Each of them collected a single on Saturday in their 5-3 win in Game 1, with Freeman also drawing a key fourth-inning walk that set up a two-run home run by Teoscar Hernandez.
Manager Dave Roberts isn’t about to drop Ohtani or Freeman in the order. The more games the Dodgers play, however, the more Ohtani’s and Freeman’s bodies could feel it, and that could require Roberts to rethink whether Tucker should continue batting in the bottom half of the lineup.
Batting sixth, Tucker was 2 for 4 with a two-run home run that was ultimately the difference for the Dodgers in Game 1, but the idea of him taking a more prominent role in the offense shouldn’t be viewed as an overreaction to an isolated incident.
This was the version of Tucker who quietly emerged over the second half of September as the Dodgers cruised into the postseason.
Over his final 17 regular-season games, Tucker batted .333 with five home runs and 11 RBIs. He registered an OPS of 1.072.
Tucker had a number of teases over a grueling regular season, showing flashes of the hitter he used to be, only to immediately revert back to his season-long slump. Statistically, he finished with his worst regular-season numbers since becoming a full-time player, as he batted .233 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker hits a two-run home run against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Because they had a bye in the wild-card round, the Dodgers had a five-day break between their regular-season finale in San Francisco and their opening game of the NLDS. Considering how many stop-and-gos Tucker experienced in the regular season, the fact he was able to maintain his form over five days of inactivity was a promising sign.
“Everyone stayed ready,” Tucker said. “Just did some intrasquads and live BPs, just practice in general. Everyone was prepared for what we needed to do once these games started. They’ve been doing it for a while now. Everyone kind of has an idea of what they need to do once these games roll around.”
Tucker wasn’t the same after breaking his right hand while playing for the Cubs last year, and Dodgers coaches think they have unlocked something to offset the physical changes that he might have undergone then. If they did, they might have found a luxurious insurance policy for Ohtani and Freeman.
Given where Ohtani and Freeman are physically, Tucker could be positioned to provide something they might not be able to: power.
The Dodgers are generally a home run-dependent team, and the low-scoring environment of the postseason will make them even more so. To that point, every run they scored in Game 1 was scored via the home run.
Regardless of whether Tucker moves up in the order or just adds length to the lineup, the Dodgers will be delighted if he continues to hit — delighted for not only the team but also for Tucker individually.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker hits a two-run home run against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the NLDS, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
“I think we all know the struggles he had this year,” Roberts said. “I give him a lot of credit for grinding through it, not running from it, always posting and kind of getting to the other side of it.”
He might now be ready to deliver for the Dodgers when they need it most.
Mason Miller threw Jackson Chourio a 100 mph fastball to begin the biggest at-bat of the Milwaukee Brewers season.
Then he threw him a 102 mph and a 104 mph fastball for strikes.
As Miller continued to throw gas up in the zone, Chourio did his best to battle them off knowing that the San Diego Padres closer was baiting him and soon going to throw a slider.
Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) is embraced by his teammates after hitting a game-winning RBI single during the ninth inning of their National League Division Series game, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Brewers beat the San Diego Padres 4-3. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
On the fifth pitch he did. A hanging slider that was low in the zone. Chourio remarkably laid off it to stay alive. With the count 2-2, Miller threw another 101 mph fastball up in the zone. This time Chourio was ready and he beat the best closer in baseball.
Milwaukee’s 22-year-old star lined Miller’s 101.3 mph fastball through the middle with two outs in the bottom of the ninth Sunday, scoring Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick for a stunning 4-3 walk-off victory over the Padres in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Jackson Chourio hits a walkoff hit off San Diego Padres’ Mason Miller during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series Sunday, October 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Chris Carlson
It was less a rally than it was a jailbreak.
The Padres entered the ninth with a 3-2 lead and a 98% win probability, handing the baseball to a pitcher who had spent October turning opposing hitters into strikeout statistics. Miller retired Milwaukee in order in the eighth, giving him 12 strikeouts among his first 15 batters faced this postseason — an MLB record.
After Miller retired the first batter of the ninth, Yelich walked and stole second. Frelick walked. Andrew Vaughn flied out, bringing San Diego within one out of escaping Milwaukee with a split.
Instead, Gary Sánchez worked a full-count walk to load the bases.
Up came Chourio.
San Diego Padres’ Mason Miller reacts during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Kayla Wolf
Miller attacked him with the kind of velocity that has made October at American Family Field resemble a drag strip. His fastball registered 104 mph. Chourio eventually fell behind with two strikes but refused to become another name on Miller’s growing list of strikeout victims.
On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Chourio barreled a 101.3 mph fastball back through the box, just beyond Jake Cronenworth’s desperate diving attempt. Yelich scored. Frelick followed. The Brewers poured from their dugout while Miller walked off the mound having experienced something few hitters have managed to give him:
Defeat.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Jackson Chourio celebrates after hitting a walkoff hit during the ninth inning of Game 2 of a National League Divisional baseball playoff series against the San Diego Padres Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Kayla Wolf
“Happy I could come through with that hit there,” Chourio said through an interpreter. “I’ve got my family here in the stands, so I dedicate this one to them.”
At 22 years, 80 days, Chourio became the second-youngest player in MLB history with a postseason walk-off hit, behind only Edgar Renteria in 1997.
And this was no ordinary arm he conquered. Miller and Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski have helped turn this NLDS into baseball’s velocity series. Through two games, the teams have combined for 83 pitches of at least 100 mph, already an MLB postseason series record and it isn’t even close.
The previous record was 56 back in 2016 in a four-game series between the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants. The Padres and Brewers have almost doubled that total in half the games.
But the 83rd and final pitch of over 100 mph in Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday was the only one that mattered. The Padres were one strike away from tying the series. Instead, Chourio turned into a 2-0 Milwaukee lead to send the series to San Diego where the Padres will need to make some history of their own.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers has Gatorade poured on him by Garrett Mitchell #5, and William Contreras #24 after his game-winning two-run single against the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The moment you dream of as a kid. Bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, two outs, two strikes, facing the top closer in the game, the entire game all comes down to this. Jackson Chourio lived that moment, he was born for that moment, and he delivered in that moment.
Chourio ripped a 109.5 MPH line drive back up the middle, past the diving glove of Jake Cronenworth. Yelich scored easily, Jackson Merrill fielded the ball cleanly in center, Sal Frelick was getting waved home, it was going to be close. The throw was just a bit wide and Freddy Fermin couldn’t come up with it cleanly, but it didn’t matter anyway because it looked like Frelick was going to be safe regardless.
The Brewers escape with a 2-0 series lead, which is remarkable because for most of this game, the Brewers did not look like the team that deserved to win it.
Logan Henderson was doing a solid job of keeping the Brewers in the game, despite the Padres continuing to work counts against him. Henderson had nearly struck out the side in the first inning, but a check swing by Manny Machado was ruled to have not gone, which led to a walk. Then a wild pitch put Machado on second, followed by Ty France slapping a single to the opposite field to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. Henderson rebounded to retire eight straight.
But the Brewers defense had some uncharacteristic struggles in this game. In the 5th, Brice Turang completely missed an easy double-play ball up the middle and it went right through his legs. That put runners at the corners with one out. With a chance for redemption on the next play, Turang fielded it cleanly and got the lead out, but Pratt’s relay to first was short and couldn’t be picked, which was another error and meant another run came around to score. That made it a 2-0 Padres lead.
Meanwhile, Padres starter Michael King was cruising through most of this game. He made it through four perfect innings, retiring the first 14 batters he faced, before the Brewers finally broke through with two outs in the 5th inning. The captain, Christian Yelich, ripped a double into the right field corner. Yelich could’ve tried for third after Fernando Tatis Jr bobbled the ball, but shortstop Xander Bogaerts perfectly executed a deke, laying down a fake tag to convince Yelich the throw was coming in and to slide into second base.
Ultimately, that deke didn’t prevent Yelich from scoring when Sal Frelick singled to left on an 0-1 pitch.
Cooper Pratt followed with a single and the Brewers had two on for David Hamilton and a chance to tie the game and keep the rally going. But Hamilton ultimately popped out to third and the threat was ended.
Both managers went to their bullpens one batter into the 6th inning. That kept the game where it was at 2-1, until we got to the 7th.
The Padres added an insurance run after yet another defensive miscue, a fielding error by David Hamilton, allowed Fernando Tatis Jr to reach base. A walk to Manny Machado by Abner Uribe put Tatis on second, where he came around to score on a single by Ty France. But Sal Frelick was able to gun down Machado trying to head to third to end the inning, though Tatis had already crossed the plate and the run counted to make it a 3-1 Padres lead.
Milwaukee had a big chance in the 7th inning, starting with a Garrett Mitchell leadoff single. Yelich crushed a baseball to left-center and it seemed ticketed for extra bases, but Merrill ran it down and made a leaping grab. But a walk by Frelick and then a fielder’s choice by Pratt brought up David Hamilton. Hamilton a little dribbler toward second, Cronenworth bobbled then rushed the throw and threw it into the dugout. That brought Mitchell home and left runners on 2nd and 3rd for Chourio.
Chourio grounded out to short, seemingly dashing the Brewers best hopes to take the lead in this one with Mason Miller looming for the final two innings.
But the hopes clearly were not dashed.
It started with a walk from Yelich, followed by a stolen base, then a walk by Frelick. Murphy went to his veterans on the bench. Andrew Vaughn pinch-hit first, and flew out to center. Then it was up to Gary Sanchez, who worked the count full and drew a walk to load the bases for Chourio. Chourio got his chance at redemption and came through in the 9th inning for one of the most memorable postseason moments in franchise history.
This very well might be a “Where were you when?” kind of moment.
“He’s, I think, turning into a bona fide, top-flight player. Couldn’t be happier for him because he brings it every day.” Pat Murphy said.
“He loves those moments. And he knows how talented he is and what he can do on a baseball field. He can do anything. So when he comes up in that situation, just with everything that’s going on in that inning, you just feel good about it.” Christian Yelich said.
Chourio said back in September that he felt he was “born for those moments” when the game is on the line. He was asked when he first felt that way. Chourio said “I look back to my first year, my rookie year. It was a game against Seattle. And I think I was the last out, punched out against (Andres) Munoz. He was on the mound at the time. At that point, everything turned for me. I told myself i was never going to make the last out. I’d dedicate myself to fighting and doing whatever I could for the team and not having that feeling again from that specific game.”
That game was April 6, 2024. That was the only loss the Brewers had in that series against Seattle, they lost 5-3. It was a relatively non-descript game, nothing seemingly special about it. A random April game in Seattle during Chourio’s rookie year was the catalyst for him to become one of the best clutch hitters in the game. This was seven games into his MLB career. Truly special.
The Brewers could very easily be down 0-2 in this series. They didn’t play great in this one, especially defensively. They could’ve easily lost Game 1 as well. Instead, they are up 2-0 and in command of this series as it heads to San Diego.
When the lights shine the brightest, Jackson Chourio has risen to the occasion. He was born for those moments.
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