Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly scored Austin Riley in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Wednesday night to avoid a sweep in a three-game series.
Austin Riley doubled to left off Phil Bickford (1-2) to lead off the ninth. Riley moved to third on Travis d’Arnaud’s groundout to first base. Following an intentional walk to Eddie Rosario, Albies’ fly ball to deep right field allowed Riley an easy score, sparking a celebration near first base.
Bryce Elder allowed seven hits and one walk, but struck out six and allowed just one run in six innings. Elder stranded two baserunners in each of the first three innings to continue his season-long success in getting out of trouble.
Entering the game, Elder’s 3.24 ERA with runners on base was the lowest in the National League.
Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin’s 14-inning shutout streak ended with Matt Olson’s 456-foot home run that landed in the right-field roof with one out in the fourth for Atlanta’s first hit. Olson leads the Braves with 14 home runs.
Mookie Betts responded with a liner home run, his 11th, that tied the game at 1 to lead off the fifth inning. Marcell Ozuna’s two-run home run to left field in the fifth followed Gonsolin’s walk to Albies.
Gonsolin allowed three runs and three hits, including two home runs, in 5 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game against Nick Anderson in the eighth. Will Smith singled, moved to third on JD Martinez’s double, and scored on Jason Heyward’s groundout. Miguel Vargas added a ground rule double to left field to score Martinez.
Michael Harris II ended a 24-0 skid with a single by VÃctor González to lead off the eighth before Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a double play.
The Dodgers again left two runners on base in the ninth. Freddie Freeman walked before Will Smith hit a bloop single off Raisel Iglesias, leaving runners on first and third with two out. Iglesias (1-1) escaped the jam on Max Muncy’s fly ball caught by shortstop Orlando Arcia in shallow left field.