LOS ANGELES – In a thrilling Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Atlanta Braves showcased their resilience by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday night. The victory evened the series at one game apiece, setting the stage for a competitive postseason.
Michael Harris II played a pivotal role in the Braves’ win, tripling and scoring the go-ahead run on a wild pitch from Dodgers reliever Kris Bubic in the fifth inning. “Getting the split in this place against these guys, yeah, it’s awesome,” Braves manager Walt Weiss remarked, highlighting the significance of the win.
Harris further solidified his impact by hitting an RBI double against Edgardo Henriquez in the seventh inning, providing much-needed insurance for Atlanta. Remarkably, Harris also recorded a single in the third inning, falling just a home run short of hitting for the cycle. “Michael had a great game,” Weiss added. “Postseason, you never know what’s going to happen. There’s no blueprint. There’s no playbook. There seems to always be unsung heroes in the postseason.”
The Dodgers, coming off a strong performance in Game 1, struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Max Muncy’s two-strike, two-out homer off Didier Fuentes in the ninth brought Los Angeles within one run, but Braves closer Raisel Iglesias secured the win, retiring pinch-hitter Josue De Paula to end the game.
“They’re going to use any pitcher, try to get every matchup possible,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, acknowledging the strategic depth of the Braves’ bullpen. Runs were scarce compared to the previous game, where both teams combined for five home runs.
After Mookie Betts walked and Shohei Ohtani singled to start the fifth inning, the Braves’ bullpen responded effectively, retiring 14 consecutive Dodgers hitters. Despite Ohtani’s recent struggles, going 1 for 4 with two strikeouts, the team remained hopeful. Roberts commented, “If you look at the at-bats, there’s a lot of chase. It’s hard to square up, put good swings on balls that are out of the zone.”
The Braves initially took the lead with a run in the first inning, courtesy of Mauricio Dubón’s two-strike single that allowed Ronald Acuña Jr. to score. The Dodgers tied the game in the fourth with a solo home run by Freddie Freeman, who faced his former team in the postseason for the first time. Freeman noted, “We got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run. That’s our biggest thing right now.”
Blake Snell’s performance was below expectations as he struggled to find his rhythm, throwing 90 pitches with only 47 strikes. His early exit, after just 3 2/3 innings, marked his shortest postseason outing since 2022.
Looking ahead, the Braves will turn to left-handed pitcher Chris Sale for Game 3 on Tuesday in Atlanta, while the Dodgers counter with right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Both teams are eager to capitalize on the momentum gained from this critical matchup.
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