Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to help the Atlanta Braves avoid blowing a three-run lead and beat the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Saturday.
Travis d’Arnaud led off the eighth with a double and Ozuna hit the second pitch he saw from Brusdar Graterol (2-3) over the center field fence for his 14th home run.
The win evened the series at a game apiece and halted the Dodgers’ four-game winning streak. Los Angeles leads the season series 3-2.
The Dodgers tied the game — which the Braves once led 3-0 — when Will Smith hit the first pitch from reliever A.J. Minter for a solo home run, his 11th. Minter had not allowed a home run in 57 1/3 innings dating back to June 21, 2021.
Minter (4-1) got the win. Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out the side, to earn his 20th save.
Atlanta starter Max Fried pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits, one walk and a season-high nine strikeouts. He had thrown 13 consecutive scoreless innings against Los Angeles before allowing two in the seventh.
Dodgers starter Mitch White worked four-plus innings and allowed three runs on five hits, two walks and three strikeouts. White was recalled from Triple-A to take the place of Andrew Heaney after the left-hander went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation.
Atlanta got its first two runs in the third inning on a two-run shot from Dansby Swanson. It was Swanson’s 13th homer and his fourth in the last four games.
Atlanta made it 3-0 in the fifth. Ronald Acuna Jr., who singled and stole second base, was able to score when Austin Riley doubled.
The Dodgers got two runs and chased Fried in the seventh. Cody Bellinger — who missed a three-run homer when his long fly was barely foul — drove in a run with a single. Braves reliever Will Smith replaced Fried and allowed an RBI single to Austin Barnes. Smith ended the threat by striking out Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded.
–Field Level Media