Dodgers Take Game 1, Beat Braves 5-3 in NLDS Opener

The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their 2026 NLDS with a 5–3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, taking a 1–0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Tarik Skubal delivered the biggest performance on the mound. Making his first postseason start as a Dodger, Skubal allowed one run on two hits over six innings while striking out seven. He threw 94 pitches.

Teoscar Hernández put Los Angeles on the board with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Kyle Tucker then delivered a two-run shot in the sixth, followed two batters later by Max Muncy’s solo home run. The three home runs gave the Dodgers a 5-1 advantage.

Atlanta made things interesting late. Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer in the ninth, bringing the Braves within two. Evan Phillips entered with two outs and the tying run at the plate before getting Austin Riley to ground out and securing the Dodgers’ Game 1 victory.

Key Takeaways

• Skubal gave the Dodgers the quality start they needed in Game 1.
• Hernández, Tucker and Muncy supplied all five Dodgers runs with home runs.
• Tucker finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base.
• Hernández went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
• The Dodgers finished with eight hits and committed no errors.

Freeman On the Game

Freddie Freeman said in a postgame interview that the offense was great all the way throughout, that they are feeling good, and that they’re hoping to carry it into Game 2 tomorrow.

Outlook for Game 2

• The Dodgers enter Game 2 with a 1-0 series lead and home-field advantage. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, at Dodger Stadium.

• Blake Snell is supposed to pitch in Game 2 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3.

• The Braves need to score more runs earlier in games. In Game 1, their plan to use relief pitchers worked okay at the start, but the Dodgers took over once Atlanta kept changing pitchers.

• The Dodgers will look to take a 2-0 series lead before the NLDS moves to Atlanta.

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