Braves vs. Dodgers commentary, scores, stats and updates: Championship Series
Braves vs. Dodgers Game 5 NLCS
That concludes the live commentary for tonight, but stay on top of all the MLB news and action on en.as.com/mlb
What a game! The final score from Los Angeles is Dodgers 11 Braves 2
Chris Taylor: "They really put it on us yesterday and we had to respond. It was a good answer for us."
Riley steps up and flies out to Mookie Betts for the last out. That's it! The Dodgers stay alive and bring the series back to Atlanta.
Freeman stands in to face Jansen and grounds one to second for the second putout. One left.
Albies flies out to left and we have one away.
The ace closer Kenley Jansen comes on to put the lid on the game for LA.
The Dodgers are now three outs away from taking the series back to Atlanta on a high note.
Webb delivers the pitch and Taylor strikes out to end the inning. He will have to settle for only three home runs tonight.
Chris Taylor is in now. You don't want to jinx it but no player has ever hit four homeruns in a post season game.
Pujols grounds out for the second out.
Albert Pujols stands in and this game has completely flipped last night's script.
AJ Pollock stands in now and he jumps on one for a three run blast!
Will Smith comes to the plate and takes a third called strike for the first out.
Turner is the fastest man in baseball and Seager slaps the first pitch into center. Men on first and second and I would be surprised it they don't try and take third with Turner's speed.
Next pitch the Dodgers have the hit and run on and Turner lines it into left. Betts scores on the single by Turner.
Betts takes off and beats a great throw. D'Arnaud had no chance
Trea Turner comes to the dish and is swinging at the first pitch. Strike one.
Betts fights off the breaking ball and takes the count full. The payoff is lined into left for Betts' first hit of the game.
The Dodger bullpen has Kenley Jansen up and getting loose, we are likely to see him try and close this one out.
Jacob Webb takes over for the Braves and faces Mookie Betts leading off the eighth.
Eddie Rosario steps in and whiffs three fastballs, the last one clocked at 98mph. The middle of eight and the Dodgers are up by five.
Soler takes a big swing on another curve ball and there are now two outs.
Jorge Soler is coming back from covid and is now pinch hitting.
Travis d'Arnaud comes up and fouls a few off before going down looking at a perfect curve ball.
Swanson lines one right back up the middle for a single.
Corey Knebel takes the mound for LA to start the eighth. He will face Dansby Swanson.
Matt Beaty pinch hits now and flies out to end the inning.
Bellinger taps one over the head of the short stop for a single with two outs.
Bellinger in now and is taking all the way. He has two quick strikes on him.
That is incredible. What a night Chris Taylor is having.
You'll never believe it! He steams one out to left for his third homerun of the game!
Dangerman Chris Taylor steps up to the plate 3 for 3 with two homeruns on the evening.
Albert Pujols swings big on a fastball, and gets rung up for out number two.
Dylan Lee continues the pitching duties for Atlanta and gets AJ Pollock to swing on the first pitch. He pops it straight up and it is taken by d'Arnaud for out number one.
Joc Pederson hits one through the infield to right but straight into the shift. Three up and three gone just like that.
Duvall comes up and swings aggressively. He misses the first but puts the second one into right field where it is reeled in by Mookie Betts.
Treinen stays in to start the seventh and will face Riley first, who grounds to second for the first out.
Will Smith steps in and pops it up to first for the final out. We go to seven Dodgers up by four.
Seager takes a big swing at a change-up in the dirt for a strikeout. That is the second out.
Turner is a baserunning threat and Lee can't forget that. He throws over to first twice before throwing a strike to Seager.
Trea Turner is up and slaps one into right center for a single. That is his second base hit of the game.
Betts flies out to center for the first out.
Lee is a left-handed pitcher recently brought up from triple A, where he had an absolutely dominant season.
Dylan Lee takes the mound for Atlanta and faces Mookie Betts.
Freddie Freeman comes up and flies one out to left to end the inning.
Albies now steps in with an out and Rosario on second. The Dodgers have a shift on. He tries to shove it to the opposite field and winds up flying out for the second out.
Rosario goes the other way and slaps a double into the right field corner!
Rosario fouls two long balls to the left field corner. He is fighting off Treinen's heat.
Treinen throws a 100mph sinker for a strike.
It is very curious that the Dodgers let Graterol bat and then didn't leave him in the game.
Adrianza hits one straight to Tayler for out number one, bringing up Rosario with one out.
Blake Treinen takes the mound to face the Braves, led off by pinch hitter Ehire Adrianza.
Graterol goes down on strikes to end the inning. 6-2 Dodgers, as we go to the sixth.
Bellinger gets a great jump and steals second base. Great throw from d'Arnaud but he just stole it!
Graterol comes up and takes the bat, unusual for the Dodgers, or what we expected from the Dodgers. But when do the Dodgers do what you expect?
Bellinger breaks his bat on a little blooper to right that falls for him. He gets on first with two out.
The third pitch is sent into the center field stands for a 2 run homer! Tonight is Chris Taylor's night. He owns the Braves pitchers tonight.
Martin throws a fastball strike for the first pitch. The second pitch is identical.
Taylor is 2 for 2 with a homerun and 3 RBIs tonight.
With Pujols on first base and Chris Taylor coming up, Snitker calls on Chris Martin to try and close out the inning.
Fried loses Pujols and that will be the end of his evening. Brian Snitker walks out to the mound and takes the ball from him.
Pollock goes swinging on the first pitch and grounds it to Swanson for a 6-4-3 double play. Two gone for Pujols.
Smith stays tough in the at-bat and manages to draw the walk. The Dodgers now have a man on first with nobody out for AJ Pollock.
Will Smith will start it off for the Dodgers in the fifth. This will likely be the last inning for Fried since he is due up to bat when Atlanta go back in.
Travis d'Arnaud goes first pitch swinging on a 102mph fastball and cranks it to the warning track in left where it is hauled in by AJ Pollock for the final out. Three up, three down.
Swanson steps in and grounds a hard shot to short, fielded by Seager for the second out.
Graterol comes in for the fifth and throws three past Joc Pederson for the first out.
That was exactly what the Atlanta Braves needed, a nice simple inning, retiring the side in order. The last two have been face-melters for Fried.
Corey Seager comes up to face Fried with two outs. He is 0 for 2 on the night and takes three balls before getting something to swing at. He grounds it to Albies at second for the third out.
Trea Turner steps up and swings at the three pitches, managing to foul the last one off, before hitting a routine ground ball to short for the second out.
Betts steps in to lead off the fourth and lines one to left for the first out.
It is unlikely that the Braves batters will face a pitcher more than once in the game and it is very unsettling for an offense. With Fried working deeper into the game, the Dodgers have had two or three looks at him and are now dialling in with the bats.
Duvall steps in and manages to get past the first pitch. He fouls two off and takes a ball before swinging at a slider that he missed by six inches. That's the third out and we move to the middle of four.
Riley comes out swinging and shatters his bat on the first pitch, straight to Pujols again for the second out.
Brusdar Graterol is on the mound and Freeman comes out first pitch swinging. He grounds it to Pujols for the first out.
Andy Burns steps in to pinch hit and hits the first delivery straight back up the middle. It is fielded by Albies who makes a long throw for the final out. The Dodgers strand two, but not before adding to their lead.
He holds off on the low stuff and works the count to 3-2. The payoff pitch is thrown by him. A big 97mph fastball. Two down.
Bellinger steps in with Pujols on second and Taylor on first with one out.
There is activity in the Braves bullpen as Dylan Lee starts to warm up.
Taylor comes up first pitch swinging and scores the runner from third on a little flare to center.
On the 0-2 pitch, Pujols reaches out and taps the curveball just over second base for a single. Pollock was running from the crack of the bat and never slowed down, moving on to third.
Sure-thing first ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujols steps in to see if he can push the baserunner 90 feet down the line.
Fried doesn't seem especially unnerved by the last inning's two homeruns. He is sticking with his breaking balls and Pollock lines one into left field for a single.
The Dodgers are determined not to let tonight become a pitching battle, they are swinging freely. Sometimes it works out like it did in the second inning. Sometimes it doesn't, as Will Smith grounds out to short.
Vesia misses high so tries the bottom of the zone for a strike. Rosario takes off and is gunned down by Will Smith for the last out.
Steady Freddie Freeman steps in and sees more of the high fastballs that Albies was dealt.
Albies pops one into shallow left for the second out.
Ozzy Albies takes the plate and takes some high pitches. Graterol is up in the Dodgers pen.
Rosario steps up and sneaks a hit through for a single. One man on, one out.
Fries watches three strikes for Atlanta. The Braves want him to go a few innings so he will be hitting, unlike the Dodgers who will very likely never let their pitcher bat tonight.
Alex Vesia takes over in the top of the third for the Dodgers. Tonight will definitely be a bullpen game for LA so expect changes often.
Seager comes to bat with two men on and two out and grounds one to first base for the third out. Atlanta get out of the inning but not before LA take the lead.
Trea Turner gets drilled by a pitch! There seemed to be some confusion as Bellinger took off. Fries lost concentration and hit Turner in the upper arm. Luckily he is ok and takes the base.
Betts taps a deep fly ball to left for the second out. Bellinger elects not to test Rosario's arm.
Mookie Betts steps in with a man on first and one out.
He swings and misses and Fries records the first out of the inning.
Souza tries to lay down a bunt but it goes foul for strike one. He fouls the next pitch off his left shin. Ouch!
Bellinger slaps one through to left for a single. Fries is struggling here, and Souza steps in to pinch hit.
The Dodgers take the lead in the second with two homeruns. Nobody out, 3-2 LA.
A two run shot for Chris Taylor, 406 feet. Anything goes that far ought to have a stewardess on it!
Taylor goes first pitch swinging and blows the doors off it! HOMERUN!!!
Pujols is here tonight for what he can do with the bat. He gets a slider and rips it into left field for a single.
The Dodgers have cut the lead in half and Albert Pujols steps in to the box.
AJ Pollock leads off the bottom of the second with a rocket to left field! Gone!
Travis d'Arnaud steps in and is struck out on a wicked slider. That is the thrid strikeout in four batters faced for Phillips. We go to the middle of two with the Braves leading still 2-0.
Phillips is primarily a fastball pitcher, with a fourseam being his workhorse. He will mix in a slider and a splitter from time to time, and he manages to get Dansby Swanson to swing and miss for a strikeout and out number two.
Pederson will start off the inning for the Braves. He has 9 RBIs this post season. He pops this one to straight center for the first out.
Smith pops one to right and ex-Dodger Joc Pederson hauls it in to finish the inning.
Fried jumps in front with two quick strikes and then tries his curve. Ball one.
He catches the bottom of the strike zone with a 93 mph fastball for a called strike three. Two away now for Will Smith.
Seager comes to the plate and Fried, working now from the stretch, is sticking with his fastball. He is trying to keep Turner on first and give d'Arnaud a chance to catch him if he goes.
He is one of the fastest baserunners in baseball and is a very serious stealing threat.
Trea Turner takes a page from Albies' book and slaps a ball through the shift for a single.
Fried is mainly a breaking ball pitcher and his best one is a big 74 mph curve.
Local boy Max Fried will start the game on the mound for the Braves. He delivers to Mookie Betts and gets him to ground out to third for the first out.
He looks set and he will take over work on Duvall with a 2-2 count. He throws a high slider for a swinging strike three and in one pitch, ends the inning.
In these types of situations where a pitcher is brought on in the middle of an inning, he can have as long as he likes to warm up.
Evan Phillips is warming up to take over on the mound. Reports from the Dodgers dugout are that there was "shoulder stiffness" which prompted the change.
After 28 pitches, he was approaching his limit. Something must not have felt right.
Joe Kelly has been taken out! The trainer and coaches all came to the mound and he was immediately taken out. When the athletic trainer comes out, it usually means injury.
The Braves are making Kelly pitch to them. A big change from the aggressive, front foot play that we saw from them last night. It isn't a bad strategy when you have a middle reliever starting.
Kelly faces Adam Duvall and his stuff is not missing by much. The called balls and called strikes are within an inch or two of each other.
Riley comes to the plate and is taking all the way. The first two miss badly. Kelly gets a couple of called strikes and finally works the count full.
The payoff pitch jams him and he grounds out to third base. Two down in the first.
Freeman comes to the plate and absolutely tags the ball for a very long home run to right center. That is his third one of the post season and the Braves are up 2-0
Albies pushes one past third base for a single. The Dodgers were in a shift with the shortstop on the right side of the bag and the third baseman playing where the short stop would normally stand. Albies just stuck the bat on it and there was nobody within thirty feet of it.
Ozzie Albies is batting in the two spot tonight, flip-flopping with Freeman in the order.
Rosario hits the eighth delivery to right field and Mookie Betts makes short work of it for the first out.
How long can he keep up the stamina of high pitch-count at-bats?
After throwing three good strikes, one fouled off, Kelly has missed badly with three more.
Kelly, ever the reliever, is working from the stretch right from the gates.
Eddie Rosario is in the batter's box and we are ready to get the game under way.
Mariachi Joe takes the mound and is warming up. More used to coming on in relief, he has not pitched more than 26 pitches in an outing.
Dodgers coach Dave Roberts: "We have the ability to narrow our focus and win just one game."
It may be October but the Eternal Spring of southern California gives us another perfect day for baseball. The crowd is filing in for the Game as the teams are in the dugouts and ready to get under way.
Braves Batting Order
Eddie Rosario (L) LF
Ozzie Albies (S) 2B
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Austin Riley (R) 3B
Adam Duvall (R) CF
Joc Pederson (L) RF
Dansby Swanson (R) SS
Travis d'Arnaud (R) C
Max Fried (LHP)
Dodgers Batting Order
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Trea Turner (R) 2B
Corey Seager (L) SS
Will Smith (R) C
AJ Pollock (R)LF
Albert Pujols (R) 1B
Chris Taylor (R) 3B
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Joe Kelly (RHP)
For the Dodgers, the road back to redemption must start where the entire season has started, on the mound. Their pitching staff is as good as any that has ever been assembled in baseball. They are starting relieving pitcher Joe Kelly, signalling their intention of making full use of that stellar bullpen. Expect high rotation and situational pitching changes tonight, because there is no use saving anyone for tomorrow if you can’t get past tonight. It is all to play for, the pot is all-in and there will be nothing left in the tank by the end of the ninth inning.
There have been more substantial fielding changes for the Dodgers than perhaps they would have wanted, with their all-star $34 million third baseman Justin Turner succumbing to a nagging hamstring injury in Game 4. Utility player Chris Taylor has been moved from left to third and Albert Pujols, perhaps the greatest first baseman to ever play the position, will take his old familiar spot. The 41 year old has been acting more as coach, mentor and father figure this season, and his legs are definitely gone, but that isn’t what the Dodgers need from him. What they need is his bat, his solid hitting ability, a steady hand who can go into a clutch situation and be relied on to clear the bases.
On those base paths, they have the upper hand over Atlanta by a long way. in the regular season, Trea Turner had 32 stolen bases, and in the postseason Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor have been lighting up the base paths.
Atlanta will stick to a game plan that up to this point shows very little weakness. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and the Braves lineup shows no signs of being broken.
Max Fried will get the nod tonight and he has been outstanding this postseason, going six innings and giving up two runs in Game 1.
At the plate, Atlanta reshuffles the middle of their order to make the most of the red-hot hitting of Freddie Freeman batting cleanup and Austin Riley in the five-spot. Eddie Rosario had an electric night in Game 4, hitting two home runs and lacking only a double to have hit for the cycle. Ozzie Albies follows him up batting two and if he gets on base, boy can he fly. He finished the regular season with 20 stolen bases and has two in the postseason and he can turn any situation into a scoring situation just like that.
Welcome to the live commentary of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. Last night’s emphatic win by the Braves have pushed Los Angeles into a do or die Game 5.
With two close, defensive losses in Atlanta and a last minute comeback win in Game 3, the True Blue Nation were expecting that their boys would show their class out west and turn the series on the 88-win Braves. Atlanta says nothing doing, you can’t look past us. Now the only one win separates the Braves from clinching the pennant securing a spot in the Big Show.