Yamamoto Fans 10 as Dodgers Take Game 3 Over Braves on the Road

The Los Angeles Dodgers, in holding off on their ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, to pitch in Game 3 of the National League Division Series was certainly a choice. The Atlanta Braves, after taking Game 2 at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, put their respective chips on southpaw ace Chris Sale. 

In the end, the gamble went the Dodgers' way as Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven dominant innings, only allowing one earned run on four hits in a 3-1 victory over the Braves.

From the get-go, it was going to be a pitcher's duel with two formidable forces toeing the rubber in a decisive Game 3 in Truist Park in Atlanta. 

Skipper Dave Roberts noted that, with the emergence of Sale toeing the slab in Atlanta, a change in the lineup had to be made. A change was made alright, with Shohei Ohtani batting in the fifth spot — the lowest he's batted in a lineup since the 2020 season — and Kiké Hernández made the start at third base in place of Max Muncy. 

Through the first three frames, the change had not affected Sale. He picked up the first six outs of his evening all via strikeout and was able to wiggle his way out of jams. 

Los Angeles had utilized the long ball throughout the entirety of their postseason run up to this point. It had been the only way they had generated any sort of offense in three games, and that would continue at Truist Park. 

Hernández picked up right where he left off from previous Octobers and crushed a two-run shot to left field to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the fourth.  After being robbed of an opposite-field home run earlier in the contest, Freddie Freeman got a hold of one and launched his second long ball of this postseason 399 feet to right center field. 

Atlanta brewed up trouble in the fifth inning against Yamamoto, generating a bases-loaded conundrum with one out. The right-hander escaped the frame by giving up a single run on a Drake Baldwin force-out at first base. 

Yamamoto would bounce back and end his evening on a high note, retiring the next eight batters in a row and striking out Austin Riley to earn the 10th strikeout of his outing. 

With the win, the Dodgers take a 2-1 lead in the NLDS with one more win to go before they clinch a berth for their third consecutive National League Championship Series appearance. 

Tyler Glasnow is set to get the ball in Game 4, while the Braves are likley to send out right-hander Tyler Mahle.