Dodgers defeat the Braves, 7-4
Craig Kimbrel, the former Braves closer, comes in to pitch the top of the ninth for the Dodgers. Alex Dickerson struck out on a curveball, but the ball bounced past Will Smith, allowing Dickerson to reach first. Dansby Swanson grounded into a 4-3 double play. Ozzie Albies grounded to short. Game over.
Final score: Dodgers 7, Braves 4
We go to the ninth, 7-4 Dodgers
In the top of the seventh, Daniel Hudson took the mound for the Dodgers. He gave up a two-out single but escaped the jam.
In the bottom of the inning, the Dodgers were retired in order.
In the top of the eighth, Phil Bickford made his season debut with the Dodgers. He got two quick outs, gave up a slow rolling single to Travis d’Arnaud and then Eddie Rosario flied to right for the final out.
In the bottom of the eighth, Cody Bellinger led off with a home run to center. Edwin Ríos walked. Gavin Lux grounded to the pitcher, forcing Ríos. Mookie Betts grounded to second, Lux to second. Freddie Freeman flied to center.
We go to the ninth, with Craig Kimbrel coming in to pitch.
Score after eight: Dodgers 7, Braves 4
Braves cut lead to 6-4 in sixth inning
In the top of the sixth, Ozzie Albies led off with a home run. Matt Olson singled to center. Austin Riley hit a ground-rule double to right. Marcell Ozuna struck out. And that’s it for Clayton Kershaw. Brusdar Graterol replaces him. Adam Duvall grounded to short, scoring Olson. Travis d’Arnaud singled to left, scoring Riley. Eddie Rosario doubled. Second and third, two out. Guillermo Heredia struck out swinging.
In the bottom of the sixth, A.J. Minter came in to pitch. Mookie Betts struck out swinging. Freddie Freeman flied to left. Trea Turner struck out looking.
Score after six: Dodgers 6, Braves 4
Braves get on the board in the fifth inning
In the top of the fifth, Clayton Kershaw finally gave up his first run of the season. With two out, Guillermo Heredia homered. Kershaw then struck out Dansby Swanson to end the inning.
Through five innings, Kershaw has given up one run and three hits while walking none and striking out seven. He has made 71 pitches.
Justin Turner walked to lead off the bottom of the inning. Will Smith flied to shallow right. Cody Bellinger doubled to right, Turner to third. Edwin Ríos struck out looking and Gavin Lux hi a bouncer that deflected off the pitcher’s glove right to the second baseman, who threw him out.
Score after five: Dodgers 6, Braves 1
Trea Turner delivers key hit as Dodgers take 6-0 lead
Clayton Kershaw gave up a leadoff double to Matt Olson to start the fourth, but retired the next three via ground out, strike out and pop out.
In the bottom of the fourth, Justin Turner doubled and Will Smith singled to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Cody Bellinger hit a hard shot to first that bounced off Olson’s glove. Turner scored, but they were able to get Bellinger at first. Edwin Ríos singled to right, scoring Smith. Gavin Lux flied to center. Mookie Betts walked. And that’s it for Huascar Ynoa, he is replaced by left-hander Sean Newcomb. Freddie Freeman walked on four pitches. Trea Turner hit a bases-clearing double, making it 6-0 Dodgers. Max Muncy flied to left.
Score after four: Dodgers 6, Braves 0
Dodgers lead 1-0 after three
In the top of the second, Clayton Kershaw struck out two Braves, giving him three for the game.
In the bottom of the inning, the Dodgers went down in order.
In the top of the third, Kershaw again retired the side in order, striking out one.
With one out in the bottom of the inning, Mookie Betts walked, as did Freddie Freeman, putting runners on first and second with one out. Trea Turner grounded to first, forcing Freeman at second. First and third, two out. Turner stole second. Max Muncy struck out looking.
Score after three: Dodgers 1, Braves 0
Clayton Kershaw’s perfect game is over; Freeman haunts his old team
The perfect game came to an end early for Clayton Kershaw on Monday. After retiring the first two Braves, Austin Riley singled to right. Some of the fans in the stands gave Kershaw a nice ovation after that. 7 2/3 perfect innings dating back to his last game.
In the bottom of the inning, Mookie Betts made an out, then Freddie Freeman greeted his old team with a homer to left-center. It went in and out of a fan’s hands in the stands and went back on the field. Tough break, he could have gotten some nice swag from Freeman if he held onto that ball.
Score after one: Dodgers 1, Braves 0
Starting lineup for Monday’s game
Here’s the starting lineup for Monday’s game against the Atlanta Braves:
Dodgers eager for big test, emotional reunions against Braves after sweeping Reds
Don’t call it a litmus test.
Ahead of his team’s highly anticipated series against the Atlanta Braves this week — one that will pit familiar playoff foes and former teammates against one another — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts tried to keep perspective on the significance of the early season matchup.
“When you face a really good ballclub in the Braves, it’s always people trying to say it’s a litmus test or barometer,” Roberts said. “But I think that it’s a good ballclub that we’re trying to win a series [against].
“It’s gonna be a fun series, and it’s a very good ballclub. They knocked us out of the postseason last year. But it’s a different year. So I would expect us to have the same focus as we do against the Reds as the Braves.”
Facing the Reds this past weekend, the Dodgers had few issues in earning a four-game sweep, sending them into the meeting with the Braves on a six-game winning streak.
Ahead of this week’s series, here are five takeaways on where the Dodgers stand.
No bad blood? Kenley Jansen, Freddie Freeman discuss budding Dodgers-Braves rivalry
ATLANTA — Kenley Jansen’s first appearance of the 2022 season was both familiar and strange.
Familiar because he pitched in the ninth inning Friday night. Because his velocity climbed as his outing went along. Because some bad luck, in the form of a tight strike zone and a couple of cue shots, produced queasiness before he escaped.
Strange because of everything else.
It was his first time jogging to the mound from the home bullpen at Truist Park in right-center field. His first time taking the mound to Ludacris rapping through “Welcome to Atlanta.” His first time, after 12 years pitching for the Dodgers, wearing the Atlanta Braves’ home whites.
“It’s like getting to the big leagues again,” Jansen said.
On Saturday afternoon, Jansen donned a T-shirt hammering home his move. Last season, the four relievers at the back end of the Braves’ bullpen began calling themselves “The Night Shift” during the club’s World Series run. T-shirts featuring the four pitchers were made.
New T-shirts were designed once Jansen joined the crew last month. He wore his with pride.
Trevor Bauer’s impasse with MLB creates an ongoing nightmare for Dodgers
He was there when Clayton Kershaw pitched seven perfect innings.
He was there when the Dodgers celebrated Jackie Robinson Day.
And he was there when they played their most complete game of the season to finish a four-game sweep of the tanking Cincinnati Reds.
Trevor Bauer wasn’t there in person, but he didn’t have to be. Nearly a year after sexual assault allegations against him initially surfaced, Bauer remains out of sight but definitely not out of mind. His presence is everywhere.
That was the case again Sunday, when a 9-1 victory over the Reds was overshadowed by speculation of whether Bauer would return to Dodger Stadium.
Seven-run outburst, Andrew Heaney’s dominant start lead Dodgers to sixth straight win
There was a bloop single. Two walks. Three doubles. Six total hits. And a carousel around the bases.
By the time the fourth inning was over Sunday, the game effectively was too, the Dodgers riding a seven-run outburst against Cincinnati Reds starter Tyler Mahle to a 9-1 win at Dodger Stadium.
The victory was the sixth in a row for the Dodgers (7-2), who completed their second consecutive series sweep by following a familiar formula: They got good pitching, with starter Andrew Heaney striking out 11 over six scoreless innings, and their lineup came alive for one big frame, sending 11 batters to the plate during a relentless fourth.
“That just shows what this lineup is capable of doing,” said Freddie Freeman, who led the Dodgers with four hits and three RBIs. “Every guy is pretty much a game-changer.”
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a rundown of the TV and streaming schedule for every remaining Dodgers regular-season game: