Two fourth-inning homers leave Braves facing elimination after 3-1 loss

The Braves got their ace back on the mound and held the Dodgers scoreless for three innings. Two swings in the fourth changed the game. Kiké Hernández’s two-run homer and Freddie Freeman’s solo shot sent Los Angeles to a 3-1 win Tuesday, leaving Atlanta one loss from elimination in the National League Division Series.

The Dodgers lead the best-of-five series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday at 6 p.m. Eastern at Truist Park. Atlanta’s task is to force a return trip to Los Angeles after Yoshinobu Yamamoto limited its lineup to one run over seven innings in Game 3.

Yamamoto struck out 10, allowed four hits and walked one. MLB identified the strikeout total as his postseason career high. He finished with 98 pitches and retired the last six hitters he faced, giving the Dodgers a clean route into the final two innings.

MLB’s official highlights show the October 6 game in Atlanta.

Chris Sale struck out seven without a walk, but the Dodgers’ fourth inning accounted for all three runs charged to him. Andy Pages singled to start it. Kyle Tucker lined out before Hernández drove a homer to left. After Mookie Betts grounded out, Freeman homered to right-center to extend the lead to 3-0.

Atlanta had avoided trouble in the third when Mauricio Dubón caught Freeman’s drive at the left-field wall. The Dodgers eventually loaded the bases on Will Smith’s single and catcher interference against Drake Baldwin, but Miguel Rojas lined out to strand the runners. Sale could not repeat that escape in the next inning.

The Braves had a chance to undo much of the damage in the fifth. Dubón and Lane Thomas singled before Austin Riley popped out. Rowdy Tellez walked, bringing Baldwin up with the bases loaded and one out. Baldwin’s groundout to first scored Dubón and left runners at second and third.

Ronald Acuña Jr.’s groundout to second ended the threat. Atlanta had cut the deficit to 3-1, but it never got another run. Yamamoto retired the side in the sixth and seventh; Tanner Scott pitched a hitless eighth with two strikeouts and a walk.

Ozzie Albies briefly restored some pressure with a leadoff double against Edwin Díaz in the ninth. Michael Harris II grounded out, moving Albies to third. Dubón then flied out in foul territory, and Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to end it. Díaz recorded the save after facing four hitters.

Sale finished five innings with seven hits and three runs allowed. Atlanta’s bullpen added four scoreless innings, but the Braves’ five hits were not enough to overcome the two fourth-inning home runs. Los Angeles had eight hits and played errorless defense; Atlanta was charged with two errors.

Los Angeles also has an availability issue to monitor. Miguel Rojas left during an eighth-inning plate appearance with lower back pain, and Tommy Edman completed the at-bat before taking over at second. Rojas said the discomfort began around his lower left back and hip on a fifth-inning defensive play and worsened when he swung in the eighth. Dave Roberts said Rojas probably would not start Game 4 against Tyler Mahle; Rojas said he would receive treatment and assess how he felt Wednesday morning. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. Eastern.