Andy Pages drove in two runs with a seventh-inning single to break a tie and send the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 on Wednesday, clinching the National League Division Series and returning the defending champions to the NLCS.
The Los Angeles Dodgers secured their third straight trip to the National League Championship Series by eliminating the Atlanta Braves 4-1 at Truist Park, wrapping up the best-of-five series three games to one according to national reporting on the game. The victory advances the club to baseball’s final four as the franchise chases a third consecutive World Series title.
Andy Pages Breaks Postseason Slump With Bases-Loaded Hit
Entering the evening, Andy Pages carried an unwelcome postseason reputation. The center fielder had batted just .123 in previous playoffs and sat benched during Game 5 of the World Series last year, a struggle compounded by an 0-for-7 start to this division series after missing most of the final regular-season month with a fractured left hand as documented in sports coverage.
Manager Dave Roberts maintained confidence in his outfielder despite the early struggles noted by league reporting. That faith paid off in the seventh inning when the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out on a single from Teoscar Hernández and consecutive walks by Didier Fuentes to Josue De Paula and Kyle Tucker according to team-beat coverage.
Atlanta brought in relief pitcher Robert Suarez to face Pages, who worked a full count before driving a fastball through the middle of the infield reported by club correspondents. The two-run single broke a 1-1 tie and marked the Dodgers’ first hit with runners in scoring position after starting the series 0-for-15 detailed in game breakdowns.
“I like being in those at-bats. There are times the result comes, sometimes not, but I prepare to be in those spots. And today I was able to get the result.”
Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder
You tip your cap to Pages, man,
Braves manager Walt Weiss said after the game. He hit a 100 mph heater back through the middle.
Pages reflected on the turnaround through his translator with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, noting that he had been waiting for such an opportunity since the beginning of the series. What happened last year, happened,
Pages said. It's in the past now. All I can do now is be in the moment.
Andrew Friedman praised the young outfielder’s resilience and capacity to exceed expectations. Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas also emphasized the 25-year-old’s youth and early career trajectory as he steps up in high-stakes October moments.
Pitching Matchup and Late-Inning Insurance
The game began as a duel between starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Tyler Mahle noted in series recaps. Atlanta struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Michael Harris II singled, stole second, and scored on a wild pitch by Glasnow according to game summaries. Glasnow worked into the third inning before handing over the pitching duties.
Mahle kept Los Angeles largely in check through 6.1 innings, giving up two runs with four strikeouts before exiting in the seventh noted by sports wire desks. The Dodgers bullpen delivered shutdown relief, with Edgardo Henriquez escaping a jam in the sixth after Atlanta put a leadoff double in play, earning his first career postseason decision.
Edwin Díaz closed out the ninth inning with a perfect frame to notch his second consecutive save in as many days. The team trusts me,
Díaz said following the victory. They give me the ball every single day. And the last two nights it's been amazing.
Dave Roberts and the Road Ahead in the Championship Series
The club now enjoys a day off to reset its pitching rotation and give physical rest to players reported by regional sports desks.
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