Moments after Chris Taylor blundered on the bases to squash a two-out rally in the top of the ninth inning, Atlanta’s Austin Riley went to the plate to face Blake Treinen with one out after Ozzie Albies singled. All the Dodgers needed to take Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, a clash they’re heavily favored to win to advance to the World Series again, was some life from a lineup with blinding star power.īut the mercurial offense didn’t produce for the final five innings, and the disappearing act cost them in a 3-2, walk-off loss at Truist Park. They successfully countered Atlanta ace Max Fried with a mix of relievers to give themselves chances against their opponents’ weakest link - a bullpen that doesn’t feature the depth of the Dodgers’ relief corps. Miguel Rojas, who was hit on the left hand by a 95-mph fastball on Friday in San Francisco, took part in batting practice and the intrasquad game and reported no ill effects from the injury.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and second baseman Trea Turner talk about the team’s 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday.ĪTLANTA - The Dodgers were one timely hit, one blast, one crooked number away from withstanding the Atlanta Braves’ best punch Saturday night. Hits by Freddie Freeman, Kiké Hernandez, Kolten Wong, James Outman and Tucker Barnhart all landed comfortably short of the fences. Michael Busch, one of several rookies up from Triple-A Oklahoma City for the week, hit a home run to right-center field against Graterol.

So did rookies Bryan Hudson and Kyle Hurt, who are not expected to make the postseason roster. Michael Grove, Shelby Miller, Alex Vesia, Caleb Ferguson, Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly, Victor Gonzalez, Evan Phillips, and Ryan Brasier each pitched an inning. The Dodgers played an intrasquad game under the lights of Dodger Stadium before a small gathering of fans who were allowed to sit in left field for the six-inning scrimmage. “We may have to approach it in a more unconventional way, but our talent and depth that we have, we feel really good about.” MAKE SOME NOISE Beyond that, however, the composition of the pitching staff and how to divvy up the innings present several options for the Dodgers.ĭodgers left to sift through wreckage of another postseason failure Bobby Miller is all but officially set to start Game 2. Right-hander Merrill Kelly figures to start Game 1.Ĭlayton Kershaw will start Game 1 on Saturday for the Dodgers. Gallen could – and almost certainly will – start Game 2 of the series on Monday at Dodger Stadium. He pitched six innings in the series-clinching win against Milwaukee on Wednesday.īut because of a schedule quirk, the Dodgers and Diamondbacks will have a day off Sunday in Los Angeles between Games 1 and 2. Its staff ace, right-hander Zac Gallen, won’t start Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. We’re looking forward to it.”Īrizona waited until the final weekend of the regular season to clinch a wild-card berth. “Obviously really familiar with them,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of the Diamondbacks. The Dodgers won eight of their 13 regular-season games against Arizona, most recently sweeping a three-game series at Dodger Stadium on Aug.

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers will host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the best-of-five National League Division Series beginning Saturday.Īn anticlimactic best-of-three wild-card round ended Wednesday night when the Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies swept the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins, respectively.

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