Atlanta’s Michael Harris II was the decisive factor on Sunday night as the Braves rallied to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2, evening the National League Division Series at one game each. Harris tripled in the fifth inning and later added an RBI double in the seventh, providing the insurance run that secured the win.

Key Plays and Pitching Highlights

After the Dodgers’ starter Blake Snell was pulled after 3 2/3 innings – his shortest postseason outing since 2022 – the game turned into a bullpen duel. Harris’ two‑out triple came on a wild pitch by Dodgers reliever Kris Bubic, marking Harris’ first postseason triple. He later drove in a run with a double off reliever Edgardo Henriquez, extending the lead to 2‑1.

Atlanta’s bullpen responded strongly, retiring the next 14 Dodgers hitters after a leadoff walk and single by Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani in the fifth. The Dodgers managed to tie the game in the ninth when Max Muncy belted a two‑strike, two‑out home run off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, but Iglesias promptly secured the final out by forcing pinch‑hitter Josue De Paula to foul out to third.

Manager Comments

Braves manager Walt Weiss praised his team’s resilience, saying, “Getting the split in this place against these guys, yeah, it’s awesome.” He added, “Postseason, you never know what’s going to happen. There’s no blueprint. There’s no playbook. There seems to always be unsung heroes in the postseason.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted the strategic use of his bullpen, stating, “They’re going to use any pitcher, try to get every matchup possible. They’re going to ride certain guys, and obviously they use their bullpen accordingly.”

Individual Performances

Freddie Freeman highlighted the Braves’ approach without relying on home runs: “We got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run. That’s our biggest thing right now. Get guys on base, get that big hit and hope that our pitching keeps doing good.”

Snell struggled throughout his start, throwing 90 pitches with only 47 strikes, allowing one run, three hits, five walks, and five strikeouts. He needed 27 pitches to retire the first batter and never found a rhythm.

Looking Ahead

After a travel day, the Braves will start left‑hander Chris Sale in Game 3 on Tuesday in Atlanta, while the Dodgers will counter with right‑hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Both teams will look to capitalize on their strong bullpens as the series shifts back to Atlanta.

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.