Dodgers Hold Off Braves in NLDS Game 1 Behind Skubal

The Dodgers opened their latest postseason run with a 5-3 victory over the Braves on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, taking Game 1 of the NLDS behind a strong outing from Tarik Skubal and timely power in the middle innings. Los Angeles is chasing a third straight World Series title, and its formula in the opener was familiar: frontline pitching, a few decisive swings and just enough late relief to withstand a ninth-inning push.

Atlanta went with a bullpen game, starting Dylan Dodd, and the left-hander gave the Braves exactly what they needed early. Dodd worked three scoreless innings and allowed only two hits, keeping the Dodgers quiet through the first third of the afternoon.

The game shifted in the fourth after Braves manager Walt Weiss turned to Victor Mederos. Mederos retired Will Smith for the first out but then walked Freddie Freeman, and the next mistake proved costly. Teoscar Hernández jumped on a cutter left over the middle and drove it 431 feet into the left-field seats for a two-run homer. The ball left his bat at 109.9 mph and gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead. After admiring the shot briefly, Hernández turned and tossed his bat toward the Dodgers dugout.

Kyle Tucker followed with a bloop single, prompting another pitching change. Weiss brought in A.J. Smith-Shawver, who settled the inning by getting the next two outs and limiting the immediate damage.

Skubal, meanwhile, looked every bit like the ace the Dodgers expected. After allowing a leadoff single to Drake Baldwin, the two-time American League Cy Young winner retired 15 straight Braves hitters. He attacked the zone, missed bats and controlled the game for most of his six innings. His only major blemish came in the sixth, when Sean Murphy turned on a 1-2 fastball and sent it 421 feet over the wall in left-center to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Atlanta threatened to do more in that inning. Ha-Seong Kim and Ozzie Albies drew walks around two outs, putting two runners aboard for Matt Olson. Skubal, though, avoided a bigger swing by getting Olson to lift a soft fly ball to left, preserving the one-run lead and ending his afternoon on a high note. He finished with seven strikeouts while allowing one run on two hits and two walks over six innings.

The Dodgers answered immediately in the bottom half. Hernández singled with one out, and Tucker followed by launching a 97-mph fastball from Smith-Shawver 408 feet over the right-field wall. The two-run homer stretched the lead to 4-1 and restored momentum to the home side. Two batters later, Max Muncy added another solo shot, making it 5-1 and giving Los Angeles valuable breathing room.

Because Atlanta had just come through a three-game Wild Card Series against the Phillies, its bullpen was already taxed, and Smith-Shawver had to absorb innings. That reality left the Braves trying to play catch-up without many fresh options available.

The ninth inning brought late drama. Ronald Acuña Jr. drew a walk against Tanner Scott, and Albies followed with a two-run homer to trim the lead to 5-3. Scott recorded the next two outs before Dave Roberts went to Evan Phillips for the final batter. Phillips walked Mauricio Dubón, bringing Austin Riley up as the tying run, but Riley grounded out to Betts to end the game.

For one afternoon, the difference was clear. The Dodgers had the dominant starter, the bigger swings and just enough composure at the finish. They will try to build on that opening win when the series continues Sunday with Game 2.