{"id":22433,"date":"2026-10-03T16:52:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T23:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=22433"},"modified":"2026-10-03T16:52:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T23:52:42","slug":"dodgers-beat-braves-in-nlds-series-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/10\/03\/dodgers-beat-braves-in-nlds-series-opener\/","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers Beat Braves in NLDS Series Opener"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Dodgers 5, Braves 3<\/h2>\n<p>A three-home-run performance helped the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2025\/12\/09\/edwin-diaz-agrees-terms-dodgers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> beat the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/category\/braves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Atlanta Braves<\/a> 5-3 in Game One of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hernate01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Teoscar Hernandez<\/a> hit a two-run homer in the fourth. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/t\/tuckeky01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Kyle Tucker<\/a> blasted a two-run home run of his own while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=muncyma01,muncyma02&amp;search=Max+Muncy&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Max Muncy<\/a> also went yard to score the Dodgers&#8217; final run in the sixth. This came as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/skubata01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tarik Skubal<\/a> made his Dodgers playoff debut, going six innings with seven strikeouts. Additionally, the relief unit combined for two strikeouts against the Braves, who hit two home runs.<\/p>\n<h2>Close One<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/baldwdr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Drake Baldwin<\/a> singled off Skubal in the first, but the Braves failed to record another hit against the left-hander in the remainder of the inning. In the bottom half, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/d\/dodddy01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dylan Dodd<\/a> struck out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bettsmo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mookie Betts<\/a> looking but gave up a single to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/o\/ohtansh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Shohei Ohtani<\/a>. Yet, the Dodgers failed to produce another hit against the lefty.<\/p>\n<p>After Dodd made it through the second and third, the Braves replaced him with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/medervi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Victor Mederos<\/a>, who walked <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/f\/freemfr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Freddie Freeman<\/a> in the fourth. With a runner on first, Hernandez crushed a two-run 431-foot homer off the right-hander to give the Dodgers a two-run lead. Mederos gave up a single to Tucker, which ended his outing as the Braves replaced him with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/smithaj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">AJ Smith-Shawver<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Skubal, on the other hand, was in control for some time, retiring the side in order across the next four innings with six strikeouts. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=murphse01,murphy010sea,murphy013sea,murphy011sea&amp;search=Sean+Murphy&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sean Murphy<\/a> hit a 421-foot solo shot off the lefty in the sixth to cut the Dodger lead down to one. Skubal also issued free passes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kimha01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ha-Seong Kim<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/albieoz01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ozzie Albies<\/a>. Kim was tagged out trying to reach second while a flyout ended the frame. Skubal\u2019s outing ended after six innings as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/stewabr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brock Stewart<\/a> replaced him.<\/p>\n<h2>Dodgers Jump Ahead<\/h2>\n<p>Smith-Shawver attempted to settle into the sixth, but Hernandez lined a single and Tucker hit a 408-foot two-run home run off the right-hander. This gave the Dodgers a three-run lead, which increased to four after Max Muncy crushed a 354-foot solo shot. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/suterbr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brent Suter<\/a> replaced Smith-Shawver and got Ohtani to fly out to center, then gave up a single to Freeman before striking out Hernandez to end the bottom of the seventh. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vesiaal01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Alex Vesia<\/a>, on the other hand, struck out pinch hitter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/t\/thomala02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Lane Thomas<\/a> swinging and kept the Braves from getting much going in the eighth.<\/p>\n<p>The ninth began with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/acunaro01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr.<\/a> recording a single and Albies crushing a 432-foot two-run home run off <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/scottta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tanner Scott<\/a> to cut the Dodgers&#8217; lead to two. The Dodgers removed Scott to replace him with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/phillev01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Evan Phillips<\/a>, who sealed the two-run victory.<\/p>\n<h2>What Went Right For The Dodgers<\/h2>\n<p>Hernandez went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a fourth-inning two-run homer. Tucker had two hits, two RBI and a two-run home run in the sixth. Lastly, Muncy hit a solo shot in the sixth. Overall, the Dodgers tallied eight hits, five RBI and three home runs.<\/p>\n<p>Skubal lasted six innings with seven strikeouts in his Dodgers postseason debut. While he did allow two hits, two walks and an earned run, he did enough to set his team up for a successful afternoon. Stewart and Vesia combined for two strikeouts in two innings as Phillips sealed the triumph in the ninth.<\/p>\n<h2>What Went Wrong For The Dodgers<\/h2>\n<p>After five scoreless innings, Skubal gave up a 421-foot solo home run to Murphy in the sixth. Scott surrendered a single to Acu\u00f1a and a two-run homer to Albies.<\/p>\n<h2>What Went Right For The Braves<\/h2>\n<p>Murphy scored the first Braves run on the aforementioned home run in the sixth inning. Albies crushed a two-run shot to bring the Dodger lead down to two. Dodd, on the other hand, lasted three innings with four strikeouts. He only allowed two hits, while Suter had three strikeouts in two innings.<\/p>\n<h2>What Went Wrong For The Braves<\/h2>\n<p>Mederos struggled against the Dodgers, surrendering two hits and two earned runs in the fourth. Smith-Shawver faced similar pressure, giving up three hits, two walks, and three earned runs.<\/p>\n<h2>Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n<p>After taking game one, the Dodgers look to improve on their performance in Game Two of the NLDS. Left-hander <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/snellbl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-10-03_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Blake Snell<\/a> (4-1, 1.90 ERA) starts for the Dodgers while the Braves have yet to announce who will be starting. First pitch for Game Two of the NLDS from Dodger Stadium on Sunday is at 5:00 pm Pacific.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"TnQwMxciRt1IbXvG5KxIew\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2298439187\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'TnQwMxciRt1IbXvG5KxIew',sig:'mK4Vf58fJSzWU3faRAKt8unQhVhwDVNssks8bXusuwk=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'2298439187',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dodgers 5, Braves 3 A three-home-run performance helped the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in Game One of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday. Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the fourth. Kyle Tucker blasted a two-run home run of his own while Max Muncy also went [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":22434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[29,41],"tags":[2308,2203,2240,1092,640,932,273,129,292,1108],"class_list":["post-22433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-braves","category-dodgers","tag-2026-atlanta-braves","tag-2026-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-2026-mlb-season","tag-blake-snell","tag-kyle-tucker","tag-max-muncy","tag-mookie-betts","tag-shohei-ohtani","tag-tarik-skubal","tag-teoscar-hernandez","pmpro-has-access","eq-blocks"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dodgers Beat Braves in NLDS Series Opener - Sport Relay<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A three-home-run performance helped the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in Game One of the NLDS\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/10\/03\/dodgers-beat-braves-in-nlds-series-opener\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dodgers Beat Braves in NLDS Series Opener - 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OCTOBER 03: Freddie Freeman #5 and Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after a home run during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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