TURNER HOMERS, DODGERS STOP BRAVES 4-1 IN FREEMAN’S RETURN
Trea Turner had three hits, including a home run, Freddie Freeman reached base three times in his emotional return to Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Braves 4-1 on Friday night.
With just one run on three hits and nine strikeouts in six innings, Julio Uras (5-6) gave the Braves their fourth defeat of the month.
The Braves’ record this month dropped to 18-4 as they stayed four games down of the New York Mets in the NL East.
Before and throughout the game, the Dodgers received unfavourable reports about their pitching staff. Due to discomfort in his left shoulder, left-hander Andrew Heaney was put on the 10-day injured list. With an apparent left knee injury, right-hander Daniel Hudson left the game in the eighth.
Matt Olson led off the ninth with his second hit, a single. Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel recovered with three quick outs to earn his 13th save in 14 chances.
In his eagerly awaited return to Atlanta, Freeman stole the show for the NL West leaders.
The seasoned slugger only managed a single in the sixth inning. He took two walks, driving in two runs. A sellout crowd of 42,105 cheered for Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP, before the game and during his first at-bat. Freeman assisted the Braves in winning the World Series last season.
In a pre-game press conference, Freeman was filled with emotion as he declared, “I have the utmost love for the Braves organisation. That won’t ever alter.”
When Braves manager Brian Snitker gave Freeman his World Series ring before the game, he started crying again.
After failing to reach an agreement with the Braves during the summer, the talented first baseman inked a $162 million, six-year contract with the Dodgers.
Turner singled to start the game, and Will Smith’s single allowed him to score. Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly allowed Freeman to score after he had walked.
In the fifth, Trea Turner hit his tenth home run, giving him three hits for the second straight game.
In the sixth inning, the Braves loaded the bases against Uras. After getting on base through an infield single, Dansby Swanson’s bloop single pushed him to third, and Olson’s sacrifice fly sent him home, Ronald Acua Jr. To close the inning, Uras struck out Marcell Ozuna.
When Austin Riley singled into a double play, right-hander Brusdar Graterol, who came in for Hudson in the eighth, left Acua stranded on third base.
Right-hander Ian Anderson (6-4) of the Braves struggled with control, giving up four runs in four and a half innings, and was given his first defeat since May 22. 40 of Anderson’s 88 pitches were balls, and he recorded six strikeouts and four walks.
Turner singled to open the scoring, while Will Smith’s single made it possible for him to do so. Freeman was able to score after walking thanks to Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Hudson was able to leave the field although clearly in pain. He tried to react to the dribbler hit by Acua, who reached on the infield hit, and fell to the ground. … After Heaney was placed on the disabled list, RHP Reyes Moronta was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City. For the game on Saturday night, RHP Mitch White will be brought up. Heaney will miss a few days of action after experiencing shoulder pain while pitching in the bullpen on Thursday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Roberts predicted that it wouldn’t take very long.
UP NEXT
Braves LHP Max Fried (7-2, 2.77 ERA) will start against White (1-1, 3.86). White has appeared in nine games, including four starts, for Los Angeles. Fried is 2-2 with a 3.30 ERA in six career starts against the Dodgers.