Dodgers advance to NLCS for third straight year after eliminating Braves

[p]They defeated the Braves three games to one and are the first team from the Division Series round to advance despite recording just one hit with runners in scoring position all series long (1-for-16). [/p][p]However, they didn't commit a single error and held a Braves lineup that ranked eighth in total runs to just three runs or fewer in each of the four games.[/p][p]Los Angeles now await the winner between the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Should they face the Brewers, it will be the first time two teams from the NL faced each other in back-to-back Championship Series since 2020-2021 when, ironically, it was the Dodgers and Braves.[/p][embed guid="a90ffac4-e841-4eee-9849-44f37a903239" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2108001455315820867?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Game recap and highlights[/h2][p]Following a 1-2-3 top half of the first by the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-dodgers/nwPDBpVc/"]Dodgers[/a], the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-braves/0UPxbDYA/"]Braves[/a] didn't waste any time getting out to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/atlanta-braves-0UPxbDYA/los-angeles-dodgers-nwPDBpVc/?mid=2Nt7j85s"]1-0[/a] lead. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/keller-brad/GM0lzztp/"]Michael Harris II[/a] got on with a lead-off single before stealing second. Following a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/acuna-jr-ronald/l4fMjWuo/"]Ronald Acuna Jr.[/a] strikeout and a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olson-matt/GvvV3tAQ/"]Matt Olson[/a] groundout that forced Harris over to third, the speedy outfielder scored on a wild pitch from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/glasnow-tyler/dbgKU0BU/"]Tyler Glasnow[/a]. [/p][embed guid="c155fdbf-039d-46f6-87da-a3b56c65a1aa" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2107960681194750021?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Like clockwork, the Dodgers responded in the next half inning.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ohtani-shohei/QoeWGRko/"]Shohei Ohtani[/a] reached home following a walk to first, stealing second, then advancing to third on a wild throw to second, before scoring on a fielding error in the next at-bat to tie it up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/atlanta-braves-0UPxbDYA/los-angeles-dodgers-nwPDBpVc/?mid=2Nt7j85s"]1-1[/a]. [/p][embed guid="2b59a583-41ec-48a4-a4f5-4a46b44a5362" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrlRHtzPbX4" social-type="youtube" /][p]From there on, it was a pitching duel between Glasnow and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mahle-tyler/Oz8Fakp2/"]Tyler Mahle[/a]. From the bottom of the second to the bottom of the fifth, the Braves didn't record a single hit, while the Dodgers only had two ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pages-andy/GpUKaaFO/"]Andy Pages[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tucker-kyle/0xBFfa4q/"]Kyle Tucker[/a]). [/p][p]Glasnow was taken out after 4.2 innings. He finished with one earned run on one hit with five walks and five strikeouts on 78 pitches (44 strikes).[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/albies-ozzie/4Y95MeKQ/"]Ozzie Albies[/a] provided the Braves with some life in the bottom of the sixth, coming up just short of a home run as he settled for a double with no outs. [/p][embed guid="9c89f210-2990-4fef-943c-92c5d1595e6c" url="https://x.com/MLBONFOX/status/2107983191298458094?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vesia-alex/dQnTuVCt/"]Alex Vesia[/a] forced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baldwin-drake/vkMI9T7o/"]Drake Baldwin[/a] to line out, the Dodgers brought in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/henriquez-edgardo/vXG8ROhd/"]Edgardo Henriquez[/a] to close out the inning. [/p][p]Mahle was pulled for the Braves after giving up a single to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hernandez-teoscar/h0syi8VM/"]Teoscar Hernandez[/a]. He left the mound to a standing ovation after tossing 6.1 innings of stellar work, giving up one unearned run on three hits, one walk, and four strikeouts on 85 pitches (54 strikes). [/p][embed guid="5e306963-73d4-48f0-adbf-5cb5aa05f460" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2107986625837883552?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fuentes-didier/jJYC2kNH/"]Didier Fuentes[/a] got the call and immediately put the entire Braves organization and fanbase on edge after he walked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-paula-josue/0t6zsC8F/"]Josue De Paula[/a] and Tucker to load the bases with two outs. The veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/suarez-robert/Oz2xVxdi/"]Robert Suarez[/a] got the call to face Pages and it backfired immediately.[/p][p]Pages put the Dodgers up 3-1 with a two-run single, advancing Tucker over to third. [/p][p]The 25-year-old from Cuba came through in what was arguably the biggest swing of his career. It was the Dodgers' first hit with runners in scoring position this Postseason.[/p][embed guid="e62dba57-549e-4cee-b78c-b05c54db8bda" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuzwCTudGhQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]Atlanta put up another goose egg in the bottom of the seventh despite Harris' second double of the game. [/p][p]And it came back to bite them as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muncy-max/n17Lr7qM/"]Max Muncy[/a] added on some insurance with a solo home run in the top of the ninth to make it 4-1. He continues to extend his record for the most Postseason home runs by any player in Dodgers history, also his third this Postseason. [/p][embed guid="6f233c70-a820-441b-b820-46988f1183ff" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBuDS0SKKv4" social-type="youtube" /][p]Atlanta wouldn't record a hit the rest of the way as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scott-tanner/IL339WYi/"]Tanner Scott[/a] tossed a no-hit eighth inning, followed by a no-hit ninth from Edwin Diaz. Their bullpen didn't allow a single walk, while finishing with three strikeouts, three hits, no runs, and no walks.[/p][p]The Dodgers now await the winner between the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-brewers/CGzqC60o/"]Milwaukee Brewers[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-diego-padres/8poQN9Ud/"]San Diego Padres[/a] to see who they'll be facing in the National League Championship Series. [/p][infobox id="3e982646-21d3-4baf-ac34-10f731dff476" /]