ATLANTA – The Dodgers and the Braves both spoke openly about the importance of their pivotal Game 3 matchup in the National League Division Series.
Both teams felt they were set up well to seize control of the heavyweight showdown on Tuesday night at Truist Park.
In the end, one big inning tipped the scales in the Dodgers’ favor en route to a 3-1 victory to put them one win away from another NLCS berth.
As the Braves look to rally, here are four key takeaways from Game 3 and how they could impact things moving forward:
1. Yamamoto edges out Sale in battle of aces
Albeit for very different reasons, both teams saved their ace for Game 3.
The Braves, of course, had to first get past the Phillies in the National League Wild Card race. That meant Chris Sale wouldn't be an option until at least Game 2 of the NLDS -- and manager Walt Weiss ultimately held Sale back for Game 3 in the hopes of getting the most out of him.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers had the benefit of lining up their fully rested rotation any way they wanted. Manager Dave Roberts settled on left-handers Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell before Yoshinobu Yamamoto, saying this order set up everyone best for a deep postseason run.
Regardless, both teams had to feel good about their guy on the mound coming into the pivotal matchup -- and it was an as-advertised pitchers' duel through three innings.
Yamamoto and Sale each had six strikeouts apiece through three scoreless. It was the first time both starting pitchers had a half-dozen strikeouts through three scoreless innings of a postseason game since multi-time Cy Young winners Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom did it in Game 1 of the 2015 NLDS.
Yamamoto, though, went on to tally a postseason career-high 10 strikeouts over seven innings of one-run ball. Sale gave up a pair of homers in the fourth and exited after allowing three runs in five innings.
2. What's the pitching path for Atlanta comeback?
The Braves returned from L.A. feeling awfully good about the spot they were in. Not only had they stolen away home-field advantage by earning a split at Dodger Stadium, but they had their top two starters -- Sale and Tyler Mahle -- lined up for Games 3 and 4 at home.
But the momentum from pulling off a Game 2 upset behind a perfectly executed bullpen game quickly faded as Atlanta lost behind Sale for the first time since Aug. 21.
Now, the Braves need Mahle to show up in Game 4, and even if he does, what would be the plan for Game 5?
It would almost certainly be another all-hands-on-deck situation for the Braves -- including Sale potentially coming out of the 'pen as he did in the Wild Card Series.
But Atlanta needs to get there first.
3. It's now or never for Acuña and Co.
Atlanta's offense remained quiet in Game 3, including another tough night for Ronald Acuña Jr.
The Braves have now scored just seven runs through the first three games of the NLDS. While nobody expected an offensive outburst against L.A.'s pitching staff, they will need to find a way to generate more than that if they hope to win two straight games.
The biggest key to unlocking more offense? It all starts with the top of the order.
Leadoff hitter Drake Baldwin went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and is now hitting .130 (3-for-23) this postseason. Matt Olson went 1-for-4 with two K's and is hitting .174 (4-for-23).
Then, there’s Acuña. Moved to designated hitter just 90 minutes before first pitch to help with his ailing right knee, he went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He's hitting .143 (3-for-21) with a .451 OPS this postseason. His last extra-base hit came on Sept. 19.
“Those guys have been our aircraft carriers all year,” Weiss said. “Every time one of those guys steps in the box, I think something good is going to happen. … They're always one at-bat away from changing a game.”
4. Well, this looks familiar ...
Kiké Hernández and Freddie Freeman hitting big homers? It must be the postseason.
The latest moment for "Postseason Kiké" came in the top of the fourth inning, when he opened the scoring with a clutch two-run homer off Sale. It was his 17th career postseason home run, as he continues to thrive on the game's biggest stage.
Hernández is now averaging one homer every 19.5 plate appearances in the postseason compared to one every 31.7 plate appearances in the regular season.
“I wish there was a recipe for that so we can all take it from him,” Freeman said of Hernández’s ability to flip the switch in October. “He's incredible. He shows up when you need him.”
Not to be outdone, Freeman broke a tie with Hernández just two batters later when he crushed his 18th career playoff homer -- and his second in as many games. After going more than a month without a single extra-base hit, Freeman has gone deep in back-to-back games.
That's a huge lift for a Dodgers team that dropped Shohei Ohtani to fifth in the order as he continues to search for his swing. Ohtani went 0-for-2 with a walk and reached on a catcher's interference.