Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Atlanta 9-0 on Monday night, knocking the Braves out of the playoffs.
Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 with a walk and a pair of scoring grounders that brought his RBI total to 108. He didn’t hit a home run or steal a base during the series, leaving him with 47 home runs and 48 steals as he tries to become the first 50-50 player.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed four hits and two walks in four innings and threw 72 pitches in his second start since returning from a right arm injury, up from 59 on Sept. 10.
“We’ve tried to take our time with him and make sure he’s back to full health and build him up the right way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s an incentive and he knows how valuable he is to our club. I think after these last two outings we have a good foundation and we’re almost at the point where we can just let him go.”
The Dodgers extended their scoreless streak to 15 innings and recorded their 13th shutout.
Los Angeles (89-61), the leader of the NL West, began the evening 3 1/2 games behind second-place San Diego. The Dodgers scored nine runs on just four hits for the second time since 1906: the other time was June 4, 2021, also in Atlanta.
After losing the first two games of the series by a combined score of 16-3, the Dodgers outscored the Braves 18-2 in the final two games.
“When you start a series like this at the end of the year and you want to play well and get the first two points and then come back and respond, I thought that was great from the team,” Freeman said. “I’ve been playing for a long time and that was probably one of the weirdest offensive games I’ve ever been a part of.”
Atlanta (81-69) lost a game to the New York Mets (82-68) to secure the third wild card spot in the NL. The Braves were 0 of 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 of 10 against Yamamoto.
Los Angeles benefited from seven walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Miguel Rojas was 1 for 1 with two walks, a steal and three runs scored.
“He really embodies what I want in a baseball player,” Roberts said. “Tonight he won a baseball game for us.”
Max Fried (9-10) allowed three runs and two hits in six innings
Fried threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first inning after Rojas issued a walk, advanced on a grounder and stole third base. Rojas’ run-scoring single and Ohtani’s RBI grounder increased the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning.
Freeman capped a six-run seventh inning with his 22nd home run after Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández scored runs.
TRAINING ROOM
Dodgers: C Austin Barnes was placed on the 10-day IL because of a fracture of his left big toe. C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. … RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder inflammation) has rejoined the team in Atlanta and could be activated while the team is in Miami this week.
Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) is scheduled to play second baseman for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday. If all goes well, he could rejoin the Braves on Friday in Miami.
Next
Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 8.17) will open a three-game series against Marlins RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.06) on Tuesday night in Miami, beginning a six-game streak against last-place teams.
Braves: Rookie RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.49) faces Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (0-0, 2.08) on Tuesday night at the start of a three-game series in Cincinnati.
