The Los Angeles Dodgers received the kind of postseason performance they needed from Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.

Yamamoto worked through seven innings in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves, navigating his biggest challenge of the night in the fifth inning before settling back in and completing two more innings.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pointed to Yamamoto’s ability to remain composed when Atlanta created pressure as one of the defining aspects of his performance. Rather than allowing the situation to unravel, Yamamoto limited the damage and continued attacking the Braves lineup.

His ability to finish seven innings was also significant for Los Angeles, particularly with the bullpen in a favorable position heading into Game 4.

The Dodgers’ offense faced another difficult challenge against Chris Sale, but Roberts was pleased with the way the lineup handled the veteran left-hander.

Los Angeles consistently made Sale work, extending at-bats and forcing him to throw more pitches than he otherwise might have. The Dodgers also showed greater patience at the plate, avoiding some of the aggressive swings that had allowed opposing pitchers to get through innings quickly.

That approach eventually forced Sale out after five innings.

Roberts viewed the offensive performance as one of the Dodgers’ better collective efforts of the postseason. From Mookie Betts setting an early tone to the lineup continuing to create pressure, Los Angeles maintained its approach even when the early opportunities did not immediately produce runs.

Kiké Hernández became one of the central figures in the victory.

Inserted into the lineup for his first postseason start, Hernández delivered a two-run homer against Sale that gave the Dodgers the lead. He also contributed defensively, providing the energy and urgency Roberts values from him in October.

The performance reinforced the value of Hernández's postseason experience. Roberts trusted him to handle the moment, and Hernández rewarded that decision with one of the game's biggest swings.

Freddie Freeman also created several quality opportunities against Sale, including a deep drive that was caught at the wall before eventually leaving the park for a home run in the fourth inning.

Roberts also turned to Edwin Diaz to close out the victory in the ninth inning.

The Dodgers had multiple bullpen options available, but Roberts favored Diaz because of his experience handling high-pressure situations. With the game on the line, the manager trusted Diaz to finish what Yamamoto and the rest of the pitching staff had started.

The victory gave Los Angeles another important postseason win and demonstrated the balance Roberts wanted from his club: quality starting pitching, a patient offensive approach and timely contributions from players throughout the lineup.

With Game 4 approaching, Roberts emphasized that the Dodgers still have work to do. Atlanta remains a dangerous opponent, and Los Angeles will need another complete effort to advance.