The Braves walked out of Los Angeles with the National League Division Series back on level ground, beating the Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday night in Game 2 behind an opener, a poised rookie and Michael Harris II’s timely work at the plate. Atlanta used six pitchers to protect the win, evening the best-of-five matchup before the club heads home.
Harris delivers the separation
Atlanta’s offense did not need a long rally. It needed Harris in the right spots, and the center fielder answered twice with two outs.
- In the fifth inning, Harris tripled and came home when a wild pitch got away.
- He provided the decisive insurance in the seventh, driving in Matt Olson with a double.
- Those two late contributions gave the pitching staff enough breathing room to finish the 3-2 decision.
The result changed the feel of the series after Atlanta dropped the opener. Instead of returning home facing elimination, the Braves will have Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle lined up for the next two starts.
Weiss trusts the bullpen plan
Manager Walt Weiss gave Sale additional recovery time rather than pushing the left-hander into Game 2. Sale had been dealing with fatigue, and Weiss’ explanation was rooted in familiarity with his own roster: the Braves believed they understood what their club needed.
That conviction meant turning to an opener for a third consecutive game, a move that looked risky against Los Angeles but held up under the Dodgers’ pressure. Weiss had to work through a heavy dose of bullpen decisions on the way to the final out, yet the plan produced the 27 outs Atlanta needed.
Kerr starts it, Fuentes carries it
Ray Kerr again set the tone in the opening role. He held the Dodgers scoreless for 2 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out four across 42 pitches.
The outing came only three days after Kerr threw 47 pitches over 3 1/3 shutout innings against Philadelphia in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series. His latest effort added another memorable chapter to an October run that has made him a favorite within the Atlanta clubhouse.
Didier Fuentes then gave the Braves the length they needed. The 21-year-old rookie worked 3 2/3 innings and kept Los Angeles off the board until Max Muncy hit a solo homer with two outs in the ninth. Weiss responded by bringing in Raisel Iglesias, who recorded the final out.
Series moves to Atlanta
The clubs will resume the series in Atlanta for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, 3 p.m. PT, with FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One carrying the broadcast.
Atlanta now has the split it needed on the road, a rested Sale set for the next turn, and a bullpen that showed it can survive another demanding October night.
