Dodgers turn 3 hits into 8-run outpouring

It was puzzling to see the offense that scored 11 runs in a single inning in its previous game suddenly go quiet and be held hitless for four innings against the Braves at Truist Park on Friday. But when has a game ever been decided in the first handful of innings?

That certainly wasn’t the case on Friday as Gavin Lux broke up Braves starter Ian Anderson’s no-hit bid in the fifth with a line-drive double to deep right field to set the stage for yet another offensive outpouring. The result was the Dodgers’ lineup sending 13 players to the plate for an eight-run inning while recording only three hits as they claimed a 9-5 victory.

Los Angeles wrote itself into the history books by becoming the first team since 1969 to record an eight-run inning following a game in which it scored 11 runs in one inning. Friday's big inning came at the expense of the Braves, who allowed the Dodgers an 11-run first inning in Game 3 of the 2020 NLCS.

“I thought about it for a quick minute, but those 11-run innings are great, and we almost needed every one of them,” manager Dave Roberts said regarding the similarities in the high-scoring innings. “I think it's just collectively guys taking good at-bats, and if you look at the hit column tonight, we didn't throw out a bunch of hits or hit the balls hard tonight.

“But when they weren't in the strike zone we took our walks and just kept the line moving, and if you can do that, you're going to stress the pitcher, and that's what we did.”

• Muncy exits with right ankle injury

From defensive miscues to small ball to being patient at the plate, Los Angeles capitalized on everything it could for its fifth win in 10 games.

With runners on second and third and one out in the fifth, AJ Pollock -- who was activated off the injured list on Thursday -- grounded to third with the infield drawn in, and Austin Riley fired home but nailed Chris Taylor on the back. That allowed the Dodgers to tie the game at 1 and jump-started the huge frame.

Roberts described the play as the one “that flipped the game.” From then on, there was no way to cool off the Dodgers’ offense.

It didn’t take long before the go-ahead run crossed the plate -- courtesy of Dodgers starter Julio Urías, whose sacrifice bunt scored Lux from third in the following at-bat. The RBI bunt added to a night where Urías turned things around on the mound following his worst start of the season -- Saturday's loss to the Giants in which the lefty allowed seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits in five innings. In his five innings against the Braves on Friday, he allowed only one run on a solo homer by Freddie Freeman.

“That felt good. It’s what they asked of me and I was able to do it and after me, the offense came in and exploded in the way it needed to,” Urías said in Spanish. “My last start was totally different; obviously they had a plan of attack against all my pitches. I’ve faced the Braves before. My mechanics were a little different at first because I was so anxious, but after talking with the coaches, I was able to get back on track.”

Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger each walked in a run, and Will Smith kept the line moving with an RBI single to center. Taylor, whose savvy baserunning started the rally, then cleared the bases with a double and provided Los Angeles an 8-1 lead as it put the finishing touches on history.

Atlanta chipped away with its own offensive showcase in the eighth. Relievers Mitchell White and Joe Kelly were tagged for four runs (two earned) that cut the Dodgers’ lead to 8-5.

Leading up to the ninth inning, Mookie Betts was the only player in the Dodgers’ lineup without a run or an RBI in the game -- excluding Max Muncy, who exited in the fourth with right ankle pain. But his double to lead off the ninth put him in ideal position to score on two wild pitches from Braves reliever Tyler Matzek.

Friday’s win wasn’t flashy, but it was pertinent to the way Los Angeles has played lately. Nine runs on four hits, with none going out of the park, is more than impressive for any team, especially one that is trying to be atop the NL West.