ATLANTA (AP) — Mookie Betts had a tiebreaking 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.
The loss drops the Braves into a tie with the Mets for the third wild-card spot in the National League with 13 games to play.
The Dodgers hold a two-game lead on the Brewers in their pursuit of the National League’s No. 2 seed and first-round bye in the playoffs. They lead the Padres by four games in the N.L. West.
Shohei Ohtani was 2 for 4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored, but he did not homer or steal a base in his pursuit of 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, which started against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (5-2). He had not allowed an earned run in 35 1/3 innings entering the game, but was charged with the first five runs of the inning — which all came with two outs.
Freddie Freeman followed Betts’ go-ahead hit with a two-run single before the home runs.
Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech (6-8) earned the win after escaping a two-on, no-out jam in the eighth inning by getting Travis d’Arnaud to fly out and striking out Orlando Arcia and Jarred Kelenic.
Braves starter Charlie Morton went 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. He gave up two runs, one earned on three hits and five walks. He had five strikeouts.
Ohtani tied the score 2-2 in the seventh with a two-out RBI double to right field. Betts flew out to center field to end the threat.
Ohtani also doubled home a run for the Dodgers in the fifth inning to cut the Braves’ lead to 2-1. With two outs, he lined a pitch to right field that scored Muncy. It was Ohtani’s first hit in eight at-bats in the series.
UP NEXT
The Braves and Dodgers will wrap up their four-game series in Atlanta with Los Angeles RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-2, 2.88) facing Atlanta LHP Max Fried (9-9, 3.46).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Bill Trocchi, The Associated Press