TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored with 14 seconds left in overtime and had three assists in regulation and the Toronto Maple Leafs erased a three-goal deficit in a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.
William Nylander, No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna — with his first as a professional — John Tavares and Jack Roslovic had the other goals for Toronto, which got 21 saves from Anthony Stolarz.
McKenna also picked up an assist on Tavares’ goal for his first NHL point. Nylander chipped in two assists and Roslovic added one.
Steven Stamkos scored twice for Nashville to move into 17th place on the NHL’s career goals list, while Nils Hoglander also scored twice. Filip Forsberg had two assists and Juuse Saros made 33 stops.
Stamkos opened the scoring at 7:13 of the first period on a power play. Nashville doubled its lead at 9:08 when Hoglander collected a rebound off the end boards and slotted it home before making it 3-0 at 3:03 of the second on another tap-in.
Tavares got Toronto going off the rush at 4:56 of the middle period and Nylander connected on a man advantage at 6:58 to make it 3-2. Stamkos scored his second to restore a two-goal lead at 13:30, but McKenna scored his first NHL goal 61 seconds later.
Roslovic tied things at 8:54 of the third.
Stamkos broke a tie with Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla on the league’s career scoring list with his first-period goal — the 626th of his career — before adding another in the second. Dave Andreychuk is 16th in NHL history with 640 career goals.
Stamkos became the third active player to score 100 game-opening goals in his career. Alex Ovechkin leads with 154 followed by Sidney Crosby at 127.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored his NHL-best fifth goal of the season, and the Utah Mammoth relied on their proficient power play to beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Clayton Keller, MacKenzie Weegar, Lawson Crouse and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Mammoth, and Mikhail Sergachev had three assists to surpass 300 for his career before leaving the game when he took a puck to the back of the helmet late in the second period.
Utah went 2 for 4 on the power play and has scored on 8 of 13 opportunities this season with the man advantage, including Keller's goal in the first period and Schmaltz's go-ahead tally midway through the second that made it 3-2.
Luke Evangelista scored twice for New Jersey and Jesper Boqvist had the other goal.
The Mammoth beat the Devils for the first time, having gone 0-4 in the franchise's previous two seasons.
Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots for Utah, and New Jersey's Jake Allen made 26 saves.
Sergachev reached 300 assists with his second of the game, on Weegar's goal early in the second period. The 28-year-old Russian defenseman reached the milestone in his 634th NHL game.
He also assisted on Schmaltz's goal for his seventh career four-assist game and fourth in his last 32 contests.
Schmaltz had two assists, the second on Trocheck's goal that made it 5-3 with 3:08 remaining.
New Jersey defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left with an injury early in the third period.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welp, that wasn’t ideal!
The home field advantage that the Atlanta Braves snatched away from the Los Angeles Dodgers has slipped right out of Atlanta’s fingers thanks to a brilliant Yoshinobu Yamamoto and more power hitting from the Dodgers. They still haven’t scored with anything but homers and unfortunately Chris Sale was the latest victim of LA’s obsession with the long ball.
“They did a nice job of really grinding the at-bats and passing the baton,” conceded manager Walt Weiss when he was asked about the Dodgers’ approach against Sale in the postgame press conference. “[Sale] had to work hard. He had to work hard to get the outs that he got. He looked like Chris Sale to me [but] they did a nice job.”
Weiss also stated that he felt like Sale’s stuff was still good but the command may not have been there in his eyes. Either way, there’s no way around it: The Dodgers were better on this particular night and they did a solid job of bouncing back from Sale’s dominant outing when this team came to visit back in August.
With that being said, I’d imagine that the thing that’s on every Braves fan’s mind right now is that this lineup has got to start hitting consistently — and soon. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the rest of LA’s pitching staff is as imposing as it gets and it’s a much easier said-than-done task on Atlanta’s hands, it’s still the Postseason and the Braves are here for a reason — they’ve got to find a way to make something happen against this pitching staff.
That goes doubly for the stars like Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr., who have stayed largely dormant during this series so far. It was another quiet night for Acuña in particular, who has been picking up hits and getting on base but not at the rate or level that you’d expect out of a superstar-caliber player. Acuña had another chance to make something happen in a big moment in Game 3 when the fifth inning rolled around and he had a chance with two men in scoring position and two outs.
It could’ve been a special moment had Acuña come through and either tied the game with a knock or even electrified the stadium with a dinger. Instead, Acuña grounded out again and the moment went by the wayside. That ended up being Atlanta’s best chance of the night and the face of the franchise came up short again.
While it’s not just Acuña who has been underwhelming at the plate so far during this Postseason, it’s on him as the star of this ballclub to step up in the situations where the stars need to shine. While Acuña might have been dealing with a sore knee, it’s not an excuse — Weiss stated in the pregame that he hasn’t seen Acuña suffer any ill effects from the lower leg contusion that he sustained in the final week of the regular season and also Acuña’s knee was still in good enough position for him to play tonight.
If he’s not pressing at the plate (which Weiss insisted both during the pregame press conference and the postgame presser as well) then something’s got to change. If I knew what needed to change, I’d be getting paid a lot of money working in baseball instead of writing about it so it’s on Acuña and the coaching staff to figure it out. With their backs in the wall, the Braves are going to need everybody to contribute and hopefully the face of the franchise can finally lift his game for the Postseason before it’s too late.
It’ll also be on Tyler Mahle to make something happen on the mound for the Braves in Game 4. In the pregame presser before Game 3, Mahle at least expressed confidence that he’ll be up for the challenge for his start with Atlanta’s backs facing the wall. “…All you can do out there is make pitches. I’m not trying to trick them. [The Dodgers] know. They’ve seen me,” said Mahle when he was asked about approaching the Dodgers lineup in Game 4. “I’m sure they’re going to watch film, whatever. So it’s making pitches at the right times and that’s all you can hope to do.”
With that being said, the Dodgers also appear to be ready for the challenge of getting it right against Mahle with a trip to the NLCS in sight. Freddie Freeman spoke with the media following Game 3 and he talked about how the Dodgers plan to deal with Mahle on Wednesday evening. “If you’re chasing splitters down below, you’re going to be in trouble,” explained Freeman when he was asked about dealing with Mahle. “Just like we did with Sale, you gotta get him in the zone, get him off the bottom and hopefully he makes mistakes and you’re on time for them.”
“I wish baseball was so much more of ‘This is what we’re gonna do’ but sometimes we strip it down and it’s not that complicated. If we can just get him up off the bottom of the zone, hopefully we can have some great success tomorrow. We’ve gotta treat every game like an elimination game.”
All the way back in April, Mahle threw seven shutout innings against the Dodgers as a member of the Giants. A repeat performance will be sorely needed for the Braves and a star-making performance from any of the stars in this lineup would also be greatly appreciated as well.
The moment is there for Atlanta, they’ve just got to rise up to it and make something happen. We’ll see how it goes as the Braves play with the season on the line on Wednesday night in Cobb County.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors were celebrating Don Nelson with “Nellie Night” when they hosted the Lakers on Tuesday at Chase Center.
And Warriors coach Steve Kerr had the perfect way to honor the late Hall of Fame coach.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr honored late franchise legend Don Nelson with a pregame beer. Khobi Price
Kerr cracked open a can of Bud Light and took a sip of the beer before answering questions from reporters during his pregame media availability – a nod to Nelson bringing a can of Bud Light to his postgame media availability during the Warriors’ 2007 playoff run more than once.
Nelson’s postgame beer in the interview room didn’t last long after the eighth-seeded Warriors, who adopted the “We Believe” moniker, upset the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.
The NBA stepped in and told the Warriors that Nelson couldn’t bring beer in the postgame interview room.
Don Nelson coached the Warriors twice. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The league doesn’t have to worry about Kerr making it a habit.
“Definitley not,” the Warriors coach responded when asked whether he was going to fish the beer. “I got a game to coach.”
Former Warriors players, including Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes and Chris Mullin, and members of Nelson’s family were in attendance for Tuesday’s game.
Don Nelson’s 1,335 wins as head coach are the second-most in NBA history. Getty Images
Fans received a commemorative “Nellie” pin upon entry, in addition to souvenir “Nellie Night” beer koozies being sold.
The Warriors are wearing a “Nellie” band on the team’s uniforms throughout the 2026-27 season.
Nelson, who was the Warriors head coach for 11 seasons across two stints (1988-95 and 2006-10), died on Aug. 9 at the age of 86.
DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored in his first game since asking for a trade, helping the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Larkin was initially booed by the home crowd when he touched the puck on his first shift. The boos turned to cheers when he scored in the 13th minute, giving Detroit a lead it never relinquished. He also set up a goal early in the second.
Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Justin Faulk and Viktor Arvidsson added goals for Detroit. John Gibson made 22 saves.
Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and William Eklund scored for the Senators, who had won their first two games. Samuel Ersson had 31 saves.
DeBrincat opened his scoring in the first with a wrist shot 3:16 into the period, assisted by Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur. He added a power-play empty-netter with 50 seconds remaining in the third. DeBrincat also had an assist.
Larkin remains in limbo several months after his trade request became public. He was stripped of the captaincy, reported to training camp despite being injured, missed the start of the season because of injury and received a frosty reaction from home fans during introductions prior to their first game last week.
Ersson started for Ottawa after entering in relief of injured No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark for the third period Monday night in Boston. Ullmark did not dress, and the Senators called up Jonas Johansson from Belleville of the American Hockey League to back up.
Ridly Greig made his season debut for Ottawa and finished with an assist. Greig served a two-game suspension at the start of the season that he received for roughing during the Senators’ final playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Greig was banned for sucker punching Carolina defenseman Sean Walker in the second period of Ottawa’s 4-2 loss on April 25.
Let him press his golden right hand into wet cement on Hollywood Boulevard.
What’s the wait?
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is only in his third season with the Dodgers, and the 28-year-old Japanese right-hander is already one of the greatest postseason pitchers in franchise history.
He produced his latest October masterpiece on Tuesday night in a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park that shifted the balance of their National League Division Series back in the Dodgers’ favor.
Yamamoto was dealing, and the Dodgers now have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday after taking a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five series.
“Wow,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
How else could he describe the seven innings over which Yamamoto limited the Braves to one run and four hits?
The 10-strikeout performance further solidified the Dodgers’ belief in Yamamoto, who was the World Series MVP last year.
“He’s becoming one of the best pitchers on this stage,” infielder Miguel Rojas said. “Obviously, he hasn’t won a Cy Young here or been the best pitcher in the league, but we feel like very time he takes the mound, he’s the best pitcher for us.”
Yamamoto was pushed by the memory of the last time he pitched in this stadium against Sale. In that late August start, Yamamoto limited the Braves to a run in 6 ⅓ innings. Sale pitched a complete-game shutout, and the Braves won, 1-0.
“The last time I was here, I gave up the go-ahead run and we lost because he was able to hold us,” Yamamoto said in Japanese. “I was extremely mindful about the first run.”
While the Dodgers’ lineup made Sale work by extending at-bats, Yamamoto cruised through the first three innings. The only hit Yamamoto gave up over that span was a bunt single by Michael Harris II in the second inning.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch during the first inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Braves in Game 3 of their NLDS series on Oct. 6, 2026 in Atlanta. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Maurico Dubón stole a home run from Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman by reaching over the left-field fence in the top of the third inning, but the Braves couldn’t turn that moment of jubilation into sustained momentum. Yamamoto wouldn’t allow it, retiring the Braves in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Finally, in the fourth inning, Sale broke. He gave up a two-run home run to Kiké Hernández, then a solo shot to Freeman. The Dodgers were up, 3-0.
Yamamoto’s first and only encounter with trouble came in the fifth inning. Yamamoto started the inning by giving up back-to-back singles to Dubón and Lane Thomas. With one out, he walked pinch hitter Rowdy Tellez to load the bases. A groundout by Drake Baldwn pushed in a run.
Up next was Ronald Acuña, the former NL MVP.
The showdown was representative of Yamamoto’s mindset. Yamamoto was determined to take on Acuña, or anyone else for that matter, on his terms. Even after falling behind in the count, 3-1, Yamamoto refused to throw a strike for the sake of throwing a strike. He still had a two-run lead. If he walked Acuña and forced in a run, he could preserve his team’s advantage by retiring the next batter.
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto added to his playoff lore with his one-run over seven-inning gem in their Game 3 win over the Braves. AP
Yamamoto threw a splitter that just nicked the bottom of the strike zone, Acuña grounded out to second base, and the Dodgers maintained their 3-1 lead.
Limiting damage, Yamamoto said, was prioritized over efficiency.
“As long as I didn’t give up runs, I didn’t mind if I ran up my pitch count,” Yamamoto said. “I was going to throw the ball in places in which it would be difficult to hit.”
Turned out he didn’t have to make that sacrifice.
Yamamoto completed seven innings in 98 pitches, which spared Roberts the torture of using any relievers other than Tanner Scott and Edwin Diaz.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, how held the Braves to just one run over seven innings, stands on the mound during the Dodgers’ Game 3 win over the Braves. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tarik Skubal, who pitched six shutout innings in a Game 1 victory, was already an admirer of Yamamoto before the Dodgers acquired him from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline. Sharing a locker room with Yamamoto over the last couple of months further intensified his respect for him.
“Nobody’s more deserving to go out there and perform and have success,” Skubal said. “He does everything the right way. He works his [butt] off. He’s relentless.”
Skubal marveled at Yamamoto’s distinctive training regimen.
“I’m never going to be doing what he’s doing,” Skubal said. “I’m not throwing javelins. The way he prepares is insane. He’s doing headstands. I’m not doing that. I weigh a little bit more than he does.”
Skubal chuckled.
Skubal is listed at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, and Yamamoto 5-foot-10, 176 pounds.
But the more Skubal spoke about Yamamoto, the more it became clear he viewed Yamamoto as a figurative giant.
“You want a guy on the mound in any situation,” Skubal said, “it’s probably him.”
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 06: Head coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets looks on in the first half against the Charlotte Hornets during their preseason game at Spectrum Center on October 06, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets visited the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night to open preseason play. Mikel Brown Jr. did not play, still rehabbing his ankle injury, nor did Joshua Jefferson and his stiff lower back. All other regulars did, though, with Egor Dëmin, Keon Ellis, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day’Ron Sharpe the starting lineup. The Charlotte Hornets were without many of their projected regulars, including but not limited to Kon Knueppel, Coby White, and Brandon Miller.
Brooklyn won the ballgame convincingly, final score 124-90, not that we should read too much into that. Day’Ron Sharpe was the only Nets starter who played in the second half. Still, the boys in black-and-white looked good, which, for a team that’s won 46 games over Jordi Fernández’s first two seasons, is always nice to see. They shot 55% from three through three quarters, blowing it open by the fourth quarter. That was a pleasant change-of-pace too, hopefully a harbinger of what’s to come this season.
Here are my takeaways from Tuesday night’s reintroduction to Brooklyn Nets basketball, which I jotted down in chronological order, skewing more heavily toward the starters’ minutes, naturally.
6:22, 1Q — Brooklyn Nets 20, Charlotte Hornets 12
Not surprised that Keon Ellis got the start. Michael Porter Jr. singled out Ellis as playing well in camp, plus there’s the pre-existing trust with Jordi Fernández. But starting Ellis, who doesn’t offer much advantage creation as a ball-handler, does indicate increased confidence in the playmakers around him, specifically Dëmin’s (potential) growth and the arrival of Julius Randle.
They’ve switched nearly every ball-screen so far. There’s been a trap or two. Charlotte has already made them pay with a couple offensive rebounds; still, switching would seem to be a natural tactic for Brooklyn, boasting length across positions, though without great rim protection or point-of-attack defense.
Day’Ron will be shooting threes this season. Fernández (who called a clear-out post-up for Randle on the first possession of the game) has to let Randle operate in the middle of the floor, at least a little. Sharpe set a screen, didn’t get it on the roll, then spaced out to the corner and cashed a three. Good sign.
3:34, 1Q — Brooklyn Nets 25, Charlotte Hornets 25
Moe Wagner just got dusted by Sion James on a drive, though playing drop coverage. He switched on a couple possessions, played a little drop. Largely the same offensive positioning as Day’Ron Sharpe. We’ll see how good he is, but a stylistic facsimile for Sharpe.
Chaney Johnson sixth man minutes? Somebody must be having a strong camp. (Not as a center, worth noting.)
12:00, 2Q — Brooklyn Nets 33, Charlotte Hornets 31
Ben Saraf — ahead of Nolan Traore in the rotation tonight — just stepped behind a ball-screen (after his defender went under) and hit a 3-pointer. Pleasant sight.
They’ve having some trouble defending guard-to-guard actions. Ghost screens, slips, etc.
7:59, 2Q — Brooklyn Nets 40, Charlotte Hornets 36
Nets are gonna play faster this season, that much is clear. Julius Randle is empowered to grab the ball and go, Day’Ron has set some early ball-screens for him in semi-transition. I imagine most teams just switch that sorta thing. But there will be plenty of two-man actions with Brooklyn’s lead ball-handler and starting center, like every other team in the league. Can Randle create advantages for others out of it? Big storyline for their offense, I’d imagine.
Randle defending Naz Reid with an oomph greater than average 13-year-veteran-playing-preseason intensity. Hmm.
4:44, 2Q —Brooklyn Nets 51, Charlotte Hornets 44
Julius Randle is a more trustworthy transition ball-handler than the Nets have had in some time. This reflects poorly on the last couple years of Nets basketball, though again, Randle’s reputation around the league is a bit harsher than it probably should be.
MPJ can still shoot, no worries there.
Funny that Egor Dëmin has passed up a couple take catch-and-shoot threes, preferring to drive the lane with his newfound muscle and confidence. Almost dunked on Ryan Kalkbrenner, then a highlight assist. Worth noting that Day’Ron Sharpe cuts into the dunker spot on this second play, rather than remaining in the corner…
Julius Randle is playing Julius Randle basketball, that’s for sure. Some early PnR as mentioned, willingness to fire catch-and-shoot threes, but he’s posting up mismatches and working on the empty side of the floor as he pleases.
Starters seemingly done for the second half, though not Day’Ron Sharpe. Something, nothing? Probably nothing.
Michael Porter Jr. dove on the floor near the end of the first half, but more importantly, he helped Brooklyn secure some big-time defensive rebounds by boxing out a Charlotte big. I trust MPJ-Randle-Sharpe to be a strong rebounding front court, even if they’re playing aggressive coverages. Porter Jr. did his part tonight, even in a meaningless game.
6:58, 3Q — Brooklyn Nets 67, Charlotte Hornets 57
Saraf’s driving style and Day’Ron Sharpe’s ability to Gortat screen are a natural pairing. They’ve had a couple nice two-man actions to start this third quarter, though Saraf has also mixed in some rough moments.
This lineup (Mann/Saraf/Clowney/Johnson/Sharpe) doesn’t have a single average 3-point shooter, but it’s the sort of athletic, potentially tough lineup that the Nets might occasionally deploy this season, particularly with a couple injuries.
Chaney Johnson, three dunks before the first timeout this quarter. An offensive rebound, a cut, a transition opportunity. Maybe it’s just what he does, though the preseason a mere half-step down from tanking spring basketball.
Unimpressed by these Noah Clowney minutes. Not that this is a particularly meaningful sample.
12:00, 4Q — Brooklyn Nets 92, Charlotte Hornets 73
Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, and Josh Minott each checked in during the third quarter and hit his first 3-point attempt. The Nets enter the fourth 16-of-29 from deep, a hair better than what they’re shooting inside the arc. But hey, Charlotte is 15-of-31 from deep, so this 19-point lead isn’t all shooting luck.
END OF GAME
Drake Powell has gotten to two feet and tired to explode through a Charlotte rim protector twice, after hitting the aforementioned 3-pointer. He got swallowed up and missed a feeble attempt on the first drive, but finished a smooth lefty finger roll the second time.
Let’s draw rash conclusions — I don’t think Powell will be in the rotation to star the season. Same for Josh Minott, and potentially Danny Wolf. Still time for things to change, though.
Nolan Traore looks bigger, but no slower. He’s zapped to the rim a few times in this fourth quarter, albeit against a bleak Charlotte lineup.
Jordi Fernández will be thrilled by Brooklyn’s 12 steals (and how about those 25 transition points), less so by their five offensive rebounds. But the Nets will be launching, running, and rebounding this season. At least, that’s the plan, and it was clear to see even on day one.
Shoutout Eric Collins: “I have never seen Danny Wolf and [ex-Hornet] Jeremy Lamb in the same room together, thankfully. Scary situation for Jeremy Lamb.”
Michael Porter Jr. scored 16 points, Randle added 13, while Traore had ten off the bench. Those were the only double-digit scorers for Brooklyn, who saw every player hit a shot, outside of Dain Danja and Ben Humrichous, who only played the last couple minutes. Liam McNeely scored 14 points — all in the third — to lead Charlotte, while trade acquisition Naz Reid scored 13.
Next Up
<p>Mitchell Leff/Getty Images</p><br>
LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid sat out the Philadelphia 76ers’ first preseason game on Monday night. But their next one is in Brooklyn. The Nets’ first home preseason game is against the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday evening.
Allan Border was never a shrinking violet but at the end of a decorated career the former Australian captain learned just how important it was to pick your targets in a battle.
ATLANTA — Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven innings, Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series.
Yamamoto dominated the much-anticipated matchup with Atlanta ace Chris Sale, who allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. Yamamoto, the MVP of the 2025 World Series, permitted only four hits with one walk while improving to 8-1 in his postseason career.
The Dodgers can win the best-of-five series and take another step in their attempt to become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series titles by beating the Braves again Wednesday night in Game 4.
The Braves hoped giving Sale extra rest would be a winning formula in the pivotal third game. Instead, after stranding six runners in the first three innings, he gave up the two-run homer to Hernández and a solo shot to Freddie Freeman in the fourth.
Ozzie Albies opened the Atlanta ninth with a double off the right-center wall against Edwin Díaz and moved to third on Micheal Harris II’s groundout. Díaz stranded the runner when Mauricio Dubón fouled out to right field and Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to shortstop Mookie Betts.
Dubón made a leaping catch over the left-field wall to rob Freeman of a home run in the third. Freeman wouldn’t be denied an inning later. Hernández’s homer to left drove in Andy Pages, who singled. One out later, Freeman pulled his 18th career postseason homer to right field for a 3-0 lead.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts moved designated hitter Shohei Ohtani down to No. 5 in the lineup because Ohtani was 3 for 15 in his career against Sale. Ohtani went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts against Sale when the Dodgers lost 1-0 on Aug. 26 in Atlanta.
Roberts correctly predicted Ohtani would have opportunities with runners on base hitting lower in the order.
With runners on first and second in the first, Sale struck out Ohtani to end the inning. With two runners on base in the third, Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference by Drake Baldwin to load the bases before Miguel Rojas ended the inning with a flyball to right field. Ohtani walked to lead off the eighth against Brent Suter, Atlanta’s fourth pitcher.
Baldwin’s bases-loaded grounder to first base drove in Dubón, who singled, in the fifth for Atlanta’s only run off Yamamoto.
Rojas left during an at-bat in the eighth. The second baseman appeared to injure his back on a swing and was replaced by Tommy Edman. The Dodgers announced the injury as lower back pain.
Tanner Scott added two strikeouts in a scoreless eighth for Los Angeles.
Up next
Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle is expected to face Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Mahle said Tuesday an abdominal pull is now a “non-issue.” He felt the pull before allowing one run in seven innings of a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia in 10 innings during the NL Wild Card Series last week.
The Dodgers' Freddie Freeman follows through on a solo home run off a pitch from Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale. (Mike Stewart / Associated Press)
The Dodgers went into Game 3 of the National League Division Series knowing they couldn’t be so reliant on the home run, especially with Braves ace Chris Sale on the mound. And yet, in a 3-1 win, it was the home run ball, paired with a masterful performance on the mound from right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, that secured the victory.
The Dodgers pulled ahead to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. All 10 of their runs in the NLDS have come via homer.
The Dodgers tried to score in other ways, putting on six baserunners in the first three innings of the game. But it didn’t work.
They failed to take advantage of some luck and poor defense from the Braves in the first inning, as Mookie Betts beat out a soft groundball up the first base line and Teoscar Hernández reached on a fielding error by Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim.
The lineup shuffling manager Dave Roberts did against Sale had superstar Shohei Ohtani, batting fifth, walking up to the plate with two outs and runners on first and second. His over-anxious approach at the plate so far this postseason followed him into the at-bat. And he struck out whiffing on a slider in the opposite batter’s box.
The next inning, Kyle Tucker hit a two-out single into left, baited Sale into picking over to first base twice, and then stole second. But he was stranded there, as Kiké Hernández went down swinging. All six of the Dodgers’ outs in the first two innings came via the strikeout.
In the third, the Dodgers loaded the bases. Betts started the effort with a single through the left side of the infield. And it looked for a moment as if Freddie Freeman had capitalized on the opportunity with a runner in scoring position.
He stayed back on a fastball and crushed it to deep left field, on a trajectory to just clear the short fence. But Braves left fielder Mauricio Dubón made a leaping catch, holding into the ball as he slammed into the wall.
Undeterred, the Dodgers kept putting runners on base. With two outs, Will Smith stayed through a slider to single. Ohtani clipped Braves catcher Drake Baldwin’s mitt and was awarded first base for catcher’s interference. Then Miguel Rojas, who’d exit the game in the eighth inning mid-at-bat with what the Dodgers called low back pain, hit a line drive that found leather to end the inning.
So, back to the long ball.
Perennial postseason hero Kiké Hernández delivered the first blow. With Andy Pages on first, after his first hit of the series, Hernández launched a changeup into the left-field stands. Then, two batters later, Freeman turned on an inside sinker and sent it over the right-field fence — where Dubón had no chance to track it down.
Game 3 was billed as a matchup between aces: Sale, whom the Braves tabbed for Tuesday because of his workload in their wild-card series, and Yamamoto, whom the Dodgers partially held back for the first two games with the NLCS in mind.
Yamamoto held up his end of the bargain, limiting the Braves to four hits and one run in seven innings.
He retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced. The only baserunner in that time, Michael Harris II, bunted for a single. Yamamoto crashed hard, slipping on the slick grass as he tried to pivot but still managing to make a throw to first from the ground.
He only wavered in the fifth, loading the bases with a pair of singles and a four-pitch walk. The Braves’ batting order turned over, and Yamamoto got Baldwin to ground out to first, but that scored a run. Then he induced Ronald Acuña Jr. to ground out to second to escape the jam. Rojas ranged to his left to field the ball and made an on-target throw even as he slipped on the grass in shallow right field.
Yamamoto didn’t allow another baserunner.
Left-handed reliever Tanner Scott served as the Dodgers’ setup man, throwing a hitless eighth. And right-hander Edwin Díaz came in for his first save opportunity since Aug. 14 against the Brewers.
He gave up a double off the wall to Ozzie Albies to open the inning but retired the next three batters.
SAN DIEGO — Padres closer Mason Miller went on the postseason paternity list Tuesday night with San Diego facing elimination in the NL Division Series.
The intimidating All-Star reliever will miss at least one game, the Padres announced about 45 minutes before the first pitch. Wandy Peralta replaced Miller on the 26-man playoff roster.
Miller was one of the best closers in the majors this season for the Padres. With a fastball that regularly touches 104 mph, Miller converted 38 of his 41 save opportunities and went 5-2 with a 0.90 WHIP and 129 strikeouts over just 70 innings.
But Miller also blew the save in the ninth inning of the Padres’ 4-3 loss to the Brewers in Milwaukee last Sunday, putting San Diego in an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series.
While attempting to finish a two-inning save, Miller issued three walks before Jackson Chourio delivered a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI single to win it on Miller’s 40th pitch.
Peralta was left off the Padres’ initial NLDS roster despite posting a 3.61 ERA during the regular season as a solid middle reliever.
Miller is the second Padres pitcher to go on the paternity list in this playoff series.
Walker Buehler missed the first two games in Milwaukee while on the list, but replacement Randy Vasquez also didn’t pitch while San Diego lost two straight in Milwaukee. Buehler, who returned to the Padres on Monday, recorded the final outs of the 2024 World Series while earning his first major league save for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A Los Angeles Dodgers player exits due to lower back pain.
ATLANTA –– During the eighth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday, Dodgers middle infielder Miguel Rojas exited the game with what the team said was low back apin.
Rojas was seen in visible discomfort after fouling off a fastball from Braves reliever Brent Suter.
Miguel Rojas met by Dave Roberts and members of the Dodgers training staff. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
Rojas started limping back toward the batter’s box and was immediately evaluated by a member of the Dodgers’ training staff and manager Dave Roberts.
Tommy Edman replaced Rojas at second base.
Miguel Rojas exits in the eighth inning due to lower back pain. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
The good news: Rojas said he was “hopeful that everything will be fine,” and manager Dave Roberts didn’t seem overly concerned either.
“[We’ll see] how he comes in tomorrow,” Roberts saod. “Hopefully he feels better tomorrow.”
Rojas went 0-for-3 before departing Tuesday. He has one hit in the series — a double in Saturday’s 5-3 victory.
Rojas was a World Series hero last year after hitting a game-tying home run in Game 7 against the Blue Jays, sending the game to extra innings.
The Dodgers went on to win the game in the 11th when Will Smith hit a go-ahead home run.
In Tuesday’s game, the Dodgers’ offense popped off in the fourth inning, when Kiké Hernández and Freddie Freeman homered to give LA a 3-0 lead.
The Braves scored in the fifth when Drake Baldwin grounded out to first after Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto loaded the bases.
It was later in that inning when Rojas said he first felt back discomfort, after making a tougher-than-it-looked play on a ground ball from Ronald Acuña Jr. deep in the hole at second base.
“I kind of slid right there with the grass,” Rojas said. “My hip and my lower back tightened up.”
Despite that, Rojas tried to take his next at-bat a few innings later, but finally called for a trainer after feeling continued pain on his swing.
“I’m looking forward to being ready to go tomorrow if they need me,” he insisted. “I’m just going to do a couple rounds of treatment today and then see how [I feel when I] wake up tomorrow.”
Miguel Rojas exits in the eighth inning due to lower back pain. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated by his teammates after hitting the 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 John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a heartbreaking game 2 defeat, the San Diego Padres return home to Petco Park to host the Milwaukee Brewers in game 3 of the NLDS. Dustin May will try to nail down the series for the Brewers while the Padres will rely on RHP Nick Pivetta. First pitch is scheduled for 8:30pm central time and the game broadcast is available via Fox/FS1.
What is the point of having a six-man bench full of right-handed hitters if you are only going to use one across three innings against a lefty reliever with your season fading away?
That was the scenario the Yankees faced Monday night in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays, trailing 5-1 in the sixth inning when Ian Seymour entered the game.
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Aaron Boone had left-handed hitters Luis García Jr. and Spencer Jones hit for themselves in the sixth inning, then stuck with three more lefties in the seventh (Jazz Chisholm Jr., Trent Grisham and Austin Wells), with Seymour retiring all of them.
Finally in the eighth, Boone pinch hit Paul Goldschmidt for Ryan McMahon, though the veteran righty bat hit a harmless pop-up on the way to another meager offensive performance outside of Ben Rice’s two solo homers.
“Seymour I view as very neutral,” Boone said Tuesday. “So there would’ve been a right-hander I would have used at some point had we gotten runners on base, but by the time he was in the game it was 5-1. So I was playing more of a get on base, see if we could create traffic and then possibly shoot [Giancarlo Stanton] or Goldie or [Heliot] Ramos in a spot there.”
This year, lefties hit .244 with a .789 OPS against Seymour while righties hit .217 with a .683 OPS.
Aaron Boone looks on during the Yankees’ ugly Game 2 loss to the Rays on Oct. 5, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
During a regular season in which the Yankees leaned on him heavily, using him in 81 of their 161 games, Brent Headrick mostly delivered, including allowing only 14.8 percent of inherited runners to score — which ranked sixth among qualified relievers.
But after he looked to be running out of gas down the stretch, the left-hander’s dip in velocity has carried over into the playoffs.
His fastball averaged 93.2 mph (down from his season average of 94.1) in Monday’s Game 2, which included giving up a two-run single to Richie Palacios in the fifth inning after a George Lombard Jr. error extended the inning.
“I think we’ve seen velocity from anywhere from 91 to 94 in the last couple outings, so if we can keep him in the 94 range, there’s definitely plenty of effectiveness there,” pitching coach Matt Blake said Tuesday.
“Striking the slider has — obviously — has become a priority, using the offspeed effectively, which he’s done in the second half of the year. Using the splitter a little bit more to the righties, leaning into the slider to both lefties and righties and then he’s got to be effective with his command of the fastball, and ultimately that’s where we’re at this time of year. He’s been used a lot and he’s doing his best to stay fresh down the stretch, but ultimately we got to keep making pitches when it’s important at this time of year.”
After arriving back in New York early Tuesday morning, the Yankees had an optional workout at Yankee Stadium, though Boone had said Monday he hoped most of his players would “stay away” to get some rest.
“Whatever guys feel like they need to do today … hopefully guys were able to sleep at least a little bit and kind of recover today,” Boone said. “And I’m sure there will be some guys in, at least moving around and doing some things behind the scenes to be ready to go [Wednesday].”
Left-hander Wandy Peralta will replace Miller on San Diego’s NLDS roster. Miller must remain away from the club for at least one day and no more than three, and will replace Peralta upon his return.
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. AP Photo/Kayla Wolf
Miller’s absence leaves an enormous hole for a Padres team already staring over the edge after dropping the first two games in Milwaukee.
It was a stunning stumble from one of baseball’s most overpowering relievers.
Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres earns a save in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Getty ImagesMason Miller of the San Diego Padres has a mound visit against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning. Getty Images
Miller went 5-2 with a 1.67 ERA, 38 saves and 129 strikeouts in 70 innings during the regular season. Last October, he announced himself to the postseason by striking out the first eight batters he faced — the longest such streak to begin a playoff career — while unleashing a 104.5-mph fastball, the fastest tracked pitch in postseason history.
Now the Padres must survive without their human flamethrower.
Nick Pivetta gets the ball in Game 3, but if San Diego carries a late lead Tuesday, somebody else will have to protect it.
