The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 at Truist Park on Tuesday night, October 6, 2026, to take a 2-1 lead in their National League Division Series. Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 over seven innings, and home runs by Enrique Hernandez and Freddie Freeman put the Dodgers one win away from the NL Championship Series.
- Result: Dodgers 3, Braves 1 in NLDS Game 3 at Truist Park, Atlanta.
- Series: Dodgers lead the best-of-five NLDS 2-1.
- Star: Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed one run in seven innings with 10 strikeouts.
- Power: Enrique Hernandez and Freddie Freeman homered off Chris Sale in the fourth inning.
- Next: Game 4 is Wednesday, October 7, at 6 p.m. ET at Truist Park.
How the Dodgers won NLDS Game 3
The game was scoreless through three innings. Sale opened in dominant form, striking out the side in both the first and second innings. CBS Sports noted he became only the eighth pitcher in postseason history with six strikeouts in the first two innings.
Atlanta also took a hit away from Freeman in the third, when Mauricio Dubon made a leaping catch at the wall. Freeman got his revenge an inning later.
The Dodgers scored all three of their runs in the fourth. Hernandez drove a home run off Sale that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution measured at 406 feet, and Freeman added a solo shot to right field. According to CBS Sports, it was only the second home run Sale had allowed to a left-handed hitter all season.
Yamamoto shuts down the Braves
Yamamoto gave the Braves very little. He worked seven innings, allowed one run and struck out 10, according to both CBS Sports and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. CBS Sports listed seven hits and one walk against him.
Atlanta’s best chance came in the fifth. Trailing 3-0, the Braves loaded the bases, and Drake Baldwin swung at the first pitch, a sinker, and grounded out. A run scored on the play, but the rally ended when Ronald Acuna Jr. grounded into a double play. The Braves left five runners on base, according to the Journal-Constitution.
Sale strong early, but not enough
Sale was the pitcher Atlanta saved for this game. The Braves used an opener and a string of relievers in Game 2 so their ace could start Game 3 on extra rest. He overpowered the Dodgers early but gave up three runs, and the Atlanta offense could not answer.
The matchup was a rematch of a regular-season classic. On August 27, Sale threw a five-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as the Braves beat Yamamoto and the Dodgers 1-0, according to ESPN. This time, Yamamoto had the upper hand.
NLDS so far: Dodgers vs Braves
| Game | Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Sat, Oct 3 | Dodger Stadium | Dodgers 5, Braves 3 |
| Game 2 | Sun, Oct 4 | Dodger Stadium | Braves 3, Dodgers 2 |
| Game 3 | Tue, Oct 6 | Truist Park | Dodgers 3, Braves 1 |
| Game 4 | Wed, Oct 7 | Truist Park | 6 p.m. ET |
What happens next
The Braves now face elimination. They must win Game 4 at home on Wednesday to force a deciding Game 5, which would be played at Dodger Stadium. A Dodgers win on Wednesday would send Los Angeles to the NL Championship Series.
In the other NL Division Series, the Milwaukee Brewers led the San Diego Padres 2-0 going into Game 3 on Tuesday night, according to CBS Sports.
