By ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA (AP) — Mookie Betts had a tiebreaking RBI single with two outs in a seven-run ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves, 9-2, on Sunday night, Sept. 15.
The loss dropped the Braves into a tie with the Mets for the third wild-card spot in the National League with 13 games to play.
The Dodgers hold a two-game lead on the Brewers in their pursuit of the National League’s No. 2 seed and first-round bye in the playoffs. They lead the Padres by four games in the N.L. West.
“I don’t want to say it was the biggest win of the year, but it felt big considering what we’ve been going through,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose team had lost six of nine entering Sunday.
Shohei Ohtani was 2 for 4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored, but he did not homer or steal a base in his pursuit of MLB’s first 50-50 season. He has 47 home runs and 48 stolen bases.
Teoscar Hernández, Tommy Edman and Max Muncy hit consecutive home runs during the ninth-inning outburst, which started against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (5-2). He had not allowed an earned run in 35 1/3 innings entering the game, but was charged with the first five runs of the inning — which all came with two outs.
The Braves decided to intentionally walk Ohtani with two outs in the ninth and a runner on third with the score 2-2, leaving the game in Betts’ hands.
“I wouldn’t pitch to him, either,” Betts said. “Fortunately, i was able to come through.”
Roberts said there are probably two players he would walk in order to face Betts.
“One plays in New York,” he said, referring to Aaron Judge. “And the other is in our clubhouse.”
Freddie Freeman followed Betts’ go-ahead hit with a two-run single before the home runs.
Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech (6-8) earned the win after escaping a two-on, no-out jam in the eighth inning by getting Travis d’Arnaud to fly out and striking out Orlando Arcia and Jarred Kelenic.
Braves starter Charlie Morton went six innings, surrendering one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out six.
Matt Olson and d’Arnaud picked up the RBIs for the Braves in the third inning.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler lasted six innings despite having 70 pitches after three. He gave up two runs, one earned on three hits and five walks. He had five strikeouts.
“The third time through (the lineup) in the last three innings, I got a couple first-pitch outs and early outs and some three-pitch punchouts,” Buehler said. “I kind of got rolling and felt good about it.”
Ohtani tied the score 2-2 in the seventh with a two-out RBI double to right field. Betts flew out to center field to end the threat.
Ohtani also doubled home a run for the Dodgers in the fifth inning to cut the Braves’ lead to 2-1. With two outs, he lined a pitch to right field that scored Muncy. It was Ohtani’s first hit in eight at-bats in the series.
