Righty Bobby Miller threw seven strong innings, and Mookie Betts continued his offensive tear as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1, salvaging a win in an otherwise disappointing series against the National League’s best club.
Initially, it looked like it would be an exciting series after the Dodgers mounted an amazing comeback when starter Lance Lynn got throttled in the opener, but Los Angeles lost its momentum on an ugly strikeout from Enrique Hernandez to end the game.
Aside from a pinch-hit homer from Kolten Wong, the offense was mostly dormant in Friday’s affair. The Braves stung lefty Julio Urias for five early runs, preventing the Dodgers from gaining any kind of control.
Despite having to pitch a bit of a hybrid/bullpen game on Saturday, the Dodgers got four strong innings from youngster Emmet Sheehan on Saturday, but the Los Angeles offense, known for its inopportune streaks of dormancy this season, went to sleep once again. The game ended up going into extras, and Alex Vesia got touched up for three runs as the Braves cruised to victory.
This was the first significant series for the Dodgers in a while, as the club just completed another record-breaking August. It certainly appears that the Braves and Dodgers have separated themselves as the two best clubs in the NL, and the Braves showed why they are the top club on the Senior Circuit. Even the above-average teams in the NL don’t appear to be a match for either Atlanta or Los Angeles at this point in the year.
Regardless, Miller looked good on Sunday, allowing just three hits and a walk while striking out five. His only significant blemish was surrendering a long ball to Matt Olson, the NL’s home-run leader, in the seventh that brought the Braves within two runs. Shelby Miller held Atlanta at bay in the eighth, setting the stage for Brusdar Graterol in the ninth, who secured the save despite allowing a walk to Ozzie Albies and a single to Olson.
The Dodgers scored two runs in the fifth, powered by a Miguel Rojas double and a single from Betts. They added another insurance run in the eighth when James Outman singled home Chris Taylor.
Of course, many presumed this series to be a prelude to this year’s National League Championship series, although there’s still a long way to go until mid-October. Things could be a bit different though for the Dodgers with the potential returns of J.D. Martinez, Joe Kelly and Walker Buehler.
Buehler threw two perfect innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, his first competitive action since June of last year. Martinez is eyeing a potential return for the series in Washington against the Nationals next weekend.
In the meantime, the Dodgers head to Miami for a three-game set against the Marlins beginning Tuesday. Potentially lining up to start for Los Angeles are Clayton Kershaw, Lynn and Urias, respectively.
Think Blue Planning Committee 
I agree with Andy it’s a great wake up call to get beat by Atlanta now as the Dodgers were cruising. This team has been occasionally erratic in all phases of pitching both rotation, the bullpen and offensively. Vesia is not having a good year. Urias has been erratic especially for him.
Miller is showing he has the talent and competitive mentality to excel at the MLB level. Sheehan was very effective in his innings also. Pepiot has been good since he returned.
As pitching is so important and the Dodgers have Urias and possibly Kershaw gone in 24 it’s great the Dodgers are able to see how viable these young arms are! We will all know next Spring what the Dodgers think of their potential.
They are in the playoffs so they hopefully will be giving some of the young guys experience.
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Bobby Miller is impressing. Ire and more. As far as next season goes, I Hope Kershaw returns and Buehler comes back strong and effective. Pepiot and Sheehan have shown potential so add them in with Stone in reserve and starting pitching can be good. Gonsolin will miss the year and maybe May as well. I think Urias signs elsewhere.
It was an important win today to avoid the sweep. Atlanta is really a great team.
Looking at updated league stats after the game, I can’t help but wonder what our offense would be with Seager still at SS, Bellinger in the OF with Betts and Outman and JT as the DH. I know it’s useless looking back, but can you imagine!!
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Doc has announced that our starters for the playoffs will be Miller, Pepiot, Sheehan and Stone. He wants to use our most effective guys. 🙂
This series showed us what we already knew going in. The Braves are a very good team, probably the best in MLB. But we can beat them if we play our best game.
In the meanwhile, the Braves may have to go through the Phillies in the post season before they even think about seeing us and that didn’t go well for them last year.
Any team can beat any other team in a short series. The Braves lost a series to the A’s this year.
And the playoffs are a sequence of short series. Get in and hope that luck is with you.
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Urias will be gone which pitcher takes the rotation spot?? That is a very expensive and life altering action. Very sad
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Two strikes on Julio. Have to wonder if problems at home are part of the reason for his poor performance. In any case no excuse for his actions resulting in his arrest.
This is an opening for Pepiot and Sheehan. Maybe Stone too if he can repeat his last game dominance.
The Dodgers likely don’t want more negative press after the Bauer debacle so I think they let Urias walk whether convicted or not.
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Urias will never pitch for the Dodgers again. As you said, this on top of the Bauer fiasco is a look the Dodgers just don’t want.
I’m guessing we’ll find out that alcohol abuse had something to do with the domestic violence and also with his poor pitching. I really hope he gets some help but he’ll never put on a Dodger uniform again.
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I agree and also hopes he can get help and get his life and career back on track.
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Out with Julio, in with Walker Buehler.
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Is Buehler ready? Rushing him could go very negative. I hope they use the next few weeks giving the young guys some experience can have very positive results going forward. So now next year it’s Buehler, Miller, and ?? Pepiot? Stone? Sheehan? Knack? Hurt? Plus whoever they sign. I continue to believe Kershaw is close to Retiring.
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