Kiké Hernández did not know when his opportunity to start in the postseason would arrive, but he knew he would be prepared when it did.

That moment came in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, with Hernández inserted into the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup against veteran left-hander Chris Sale. He responded with one of the biggest swings of the night, helping Los Angeles secure a 3-1 victory.

Facing Sale in his first postseason start of the year presented an immediate challenge. Hernández recognized that Sale had strong stuff and had been effective throughout the game. Instead of trying to force the issue, Hernández entered his at-bat with the intention of making Sale work.

The Dodgers had spent much of the night pushing Sale's pitch count, and Hernández wanted to continue that approach.

After Andy Pages reached base and Kyle Tucker put a strong swing on the ball before recording an out, Hernández viewed his at-bat as an opportunity to keep the lineup moving. His focus was on avoiding Sale's pitches outside the strike zone and refusing to give the left-hander an easy out.

Hernández was particularly focused on extending the at-bat and turning the lineup back over to Mookie Betts.

That approach eventually paid off.

Sale went back to his changeup, and Hernández recognized the next pitch well enough to drive it into the stands for a two-run homer. The swing gave the Dodgers a lead and provided an important breakthrough after they had spent the early portion of the game creating traffic without immediately turning it into runs.

Hernández's postseason experience also played an important role in preparing him for the opportunity.

The Game 3 start marked his 94th postseason game as a Dodger, a number that reflects how frequently he has been part of Los Angeles' October runs. Although Hernández takes pride in that experience, he does not spend much time thinking about the milestone itself.

Instead, the value comes from having gone through the routine of postseason baseball so many times.

That experience has helped him become familiar with the preparation required before playoff games, from the night before to the drive to the ballpark and eventually stepping into a high-pressure at-bat.

Hernández also understands his role on the Dodgers. He is not necessarily expected to be in the lineup every day, but his responsibility is to remain prepared for whenever manager Dave Roberts needs him.

Against Sale, that preparation became especially important.

Rather than needing extensive time to settle into the postseason environment, Hernández was able to trust his approach and wait for an opportunity. When it arrived, he delivered one of the game's biggest offensive moments.