Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominates with 10 strikeouts in Game 3 win
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 batters over seven dominant innings and surrendered only one run on October 6, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. The win gives the Dodgers a 2-1 lead and puts them one victory away from advancing to the next round of the postseason.
Chris Sale sets early tone before Dodgers break through
Atlanta sent ace left-hander Chris Sale to the mound to start the matchup. Sale began his outing by striking out the first six batters he faced, keeping the Dodgers off the scoreboard through the opening three frames despite escaping several early jams. The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth inning, when Los Angeles broke through against the Braves pitching staff. Utility player Enrique Hernández launched a two-run home run to break the scoreless tie. Freddie Freeman immediately followed with a solo shot in the same frame, stretching the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0.
Yamamoto navigates bases-loaded jam in the fifth
Yamamoto maintained a shutout until the bottom of the fifth inning, when he ran into his first major jam. After allowing two hits and securing the first out of the frame, he issued a walk to load the bases. Drake Baldwin drove in Atlanta’s only run of the game with a ground ball, and Ronald Acuña Jr. followed with another grounder to close out the inning. Yamamoto settled back into a rhythm in the sixth and seventh frames, retiring six straight batters in order to complete his seven-inning gem.
Bullpen secures the final outs and saves the victory
Relief pitcher Tanner Scott took over in the bottom of the eighth inning, walking one batter but keeping the Braves off the scoreboard to maintain the two-run cushion. Edwin Díaz entered in the ninth to protect the lead. Ozzie Albies opened the frame with a double for Atlanta, but Díaz retired the next three batters in order to secure the 3-1 victory. Shohei Ohtani, shifted down to the fifth spot in the batting order for Game 3, finished the game 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
