Yamamoto is dominant again as Dodgers ride homers from Hernández and Freeman to 3-1 win over Braves

ATLANTA — Yoshinobu Yamamoto felt trust from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts when he remained in a crucial NL Division Series game after a stressful fifth inning.

“I’d like to continue living up to the highest expectation,” Yamamoto said through a translator.

The right-hander from Japan continues to do more than just meet expectations in the postseason.

Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven brilliant innings, Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer and the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series.

Yamamoto dominated his much-anticipated matchup with Atlanta ace Chris Sale, who allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. Last year's World Series MVP permitted only four hits and one walk while improving to 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career postseason outings, including 10 starts.

His 10 strikeouts were a postseason high for him.

“I was confident and able to control all my pitches today,” Yamamoto said.

The Dodgers can clinch the best-of-five series and take another step toward becoming the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series by beating the Braves again Wednesday night in Game 4.

Atlanta hoped giving Sale extra rest would be a winning formula in the pivotal third game. Instead, after stranding six runners in the first three innings, he gave up the two-run homer to Hernández and a solo shot to former Braves star Freddie Freeman in the fourth.

“He was still touching 100 (mph),” manager Walt Weiss said of Sale. “The stuff was fine. Like I said, maybe the command not perfect. It wasn’t bad. But they did a nice job against him.”

That was all the offensive support Yamamoto and relievers Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz would need.

Ozzie Albies opened the Atlanta ninth with a double off the right-center wall against Díaz and moved to third on Michael Harris II's groundout. Díaz stranded the runner and earned a save when Mauricio Dubón fouled out to right field and Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to shortstop Mookie Betts.

A homer for the boo birds

Freeman said he didn't mind being booed by Atlanta fans in the sellout crowd of 42,420.

“I’ve got a gray uniform on,” Freeman said. “I expect boos. It’s OK. ... It’s all love. I still love everybody here and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Dubón made a leaping catch over the left-field wall to rob Freeman of a home run in the third. Freeman wouldn't be denied an inning later. Hernández's homer to left drove in Andy Pages, who singled. One out later, Freeman pulled his 18th career postseason homer to right field for a 3-0 lead.

Lineup change

Roberts moved designated hitter Shohei Ohtani down to No. 5 in the lineup because Ohtani was 3 for 15 in his career against Sale. Ohtani went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts against Sale when the Dodgers lost 1-0 on Aug. 26 in Atlanta.

Roberts correctly predicted Ohtani would have opportunities with runners on base hitting lower in the order.

With runners on first and second in the first, Sale struck out Ohtani to end the inning. With two runners on base in the third, Ohtani reached on catcher's interference by Drake Baldwin to load the bases before Miguel Rojas ended the inning with a flyball to right field. Ohtani walked to lead off the eighth against Brent Suter, Atlanta's fourth pitcher.

Baldwin's bases-loaded grounder to first base drove in Dubón, who singled, in the fifth for Atlanta's only run.

Injury report

Rojas left during an at-bat in the eighth. The second baseman appeared to injure his back on a swing and was replaced by Tommy Edman. The Dodgers announced the injury as lower back pain.

Roberts said Rojas probably won't start on Wednesday and his availability off the bench will be determined before the game.

“I give him credit for conceding that at-bat,” Roberts said.

Weiss made a late change, moving Ronald Acuña Jr. from right field to designated hitter. Weiss said Acuña jammed his knee on a slide in Game 2. Acuña remained in the game but the knee was sore on Tuesday, leading to the lineup change.

Milestone win for Roberts

Roberts now has 71 career postseason wins, tying Tony La Russa for second-most in major league history. Joe Torre is first with 84.

Up next

Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle is expected to face Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Mahle said Tuesday an abdominal pull is now a “non-issue.” He felt the pull before allowing one run in seven innings of a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia in 10 innings during the NL Wild Card Series last week.