Tarik Skubal, the ace the Los Angeles Dodgers picked up at the deadline, put on a stunning performance in his first postseason appearance with the team, leading his squad to a 5-3 National League Division Series Game 1 win over the Atlanta Braves at home on Saturday. This wasn’t just any win, either. The Dodgers entered the opener as 1.5-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, with one goal in mind: starting their quest for a third straight World Series title. After Skubal’s gem and a barrage of home runs, they sure look like a team capable of doing it.
Skubal Shuts Down Atlanta In A Playoff Debut For The Ages
Talk about making a first impression! Skubal, in his very first postseason start for the Dodgers after that trade from the Detroit Tigers, was absolutely dialed in. The man finished with seven strikeouts, allowing just one earned run and two hits over six rock-solid innings. He was efficient, throwing 94 pitches with 62 strikes, and his ERA for the game settled at a tidy 1.50. This isn’t just a good start, it’s the kind of performance that tells you this Dodgers squad means serious business. Keeping a potent Braves offense to just one run through six innings? That’s the stuff championship teams are made of, and it immediately delivered on the high expectations L.A. has for this postseason run.
Bombs Away: Dodgers Offense Backs Up Skubal With Three Dingers
While Skubal was doing his thing on the mound, the Dodgers offense made sure to give him some breathing room. After a pitching clinic from both Skubal and Braves’ starter Dylan Dodd through the early frames, it was Teoscar Hernandez who broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. He absolutely mashed a 431-foot, two-run homer, bringing in Freddie Freeman and getting the party started. The Braves tried to respond when Sean Murphy launched a 421-foot bomb to center in the top of the sixth, cutting the deficit to 2-1, but the Dodgers were having none of that. They answered right back in the bottom of the sixth with two more solo shots from Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy, bringing in three more runs and extending their lead. Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani even got hits in this one, showing that this lineup is just dangerous top to bottom.
The Braves tried to mount a comeback in the ninth, with Ozzie Albies hitting a two-run homer to center with no outs, cutting the lead to 5-3. They even got a runner on second with two outs, but Austin Riley grounded out to shortstop, ending their last-ditch effort. Tough break for Atlanta, but the Dodgers held firm.
So, Game 1 is in the books, and the Dodgers have the 1-0 lead in this National League Division Series. They’re looking every bit like a team with its eyes on that third straight World Series trophy, and they get another shot at it Sunday. Game 2 is set to stay right there in Dodger Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. You can catch all the action on FS1. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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