Left: Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers does a dance in honor of his double to right field during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Atlanta.
Right: A fan holds up a sign hoping for a wave from Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani (17) before the start of a game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Atlanta.
12:56 JST, September 16, 2024
ATLANTA (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead 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.
With the loss, the Braves are now tied with the Mets for the third wild card spot in the National League with 13 games remaining.
The Dodgers hold a two-game lead over the Brewers in their hunt for second place in the National League and a first-round bye in the playoffs. They lead the Padres by four games in the NL West.
“I don’t want to say it was the biggest win of the year, but it felt big considering what we’ve been through,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose team had lost six of nine games through Sunday.
Shohei Ohtani was 2 for 4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored, but he didn’t homer or steal a base in his quest for 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 that began against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (5-2). He had not allowed an earned run in 35 1/3 innings before the game, but was credited with the first five runs of the inning — all of which came with two outs.
The Braves decided to intentionally walk Ohtani with two outs in the ninth inning and a runner on third base with the score tied at 2-2, leaving the game in Betts’ hands.
“I wouldn’t pitch to him either,” Betts said. “Luckily I was able to make it.”
Roberts said there are likely two players he would let go to face Betts.
“One is playing in New York,” he said, referring to Aaron Judge. “And the other one is in our clubhouse.”
Freddie Freeman followed Betts’s game-tying hit with a two-run single, followed by the home runs.
Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech (6-8) earned the win after escaping a two-on, no-out situation in the eighth inning by flying out Travis d’Arnaud and retiring Orlando Arcia and Jarred Kelenic.
Braves starter Charlie Morton threw 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 innings. He gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits and five walks. He struck out five.
“The third time through (the lineup) in the last three innings, I got a couple of first-pitch outs and early outs and a couple of three-pitch punchouts,” Buehler said. “I got going and felt good about it.”
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a double to right field during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Atlanta.
Ohtani tied the score at 2-2 in the seventh with an RBI double to right field with two outs. Betts flew to center field to end the threat.
Ohtani also hit a double home a run for the Dodgers in the fifth inning to cut the Braves’ lead to 2-1. With two outs, he lined a run to right field, scoring Muncy. It was Ohtani’s first hit in eight at-bats in the series.
