The Atlanta Braves opened up a seven game road trip out west with a loss in Los Angeles, California to the defending World Series champion Dodgers by a final score of 5-3 on Monday night. It brought a streak of wins on the road to an end at 13 straight for the Braves.
This affair was all about the long ball as the Dodgers jumped on Drew Smyly for four home runs in the first three innings. That included solo shots by Max Muncy and Will Smith in the first and second, respectively. Mookie Betts had a solo home run and Corey Seager had a two-run blast in the third.
The Braves attempted to stir up some late inning magic with a trio of homers, starting with a solo shot from Jorge Soler off Julio Urias during the top of the sixth. That was followed by another solo home run by Freddie Freeman.
Adam Duvall got in on that action with a solo home run off of Phil Bickford in the top of the seventh inning.
The Braves had an opportunity to surge ahead or at least tie it up in the ninth, but ended up falling to the Dodgers, again, by a final of 5-3.
Smyly was charged with the loss for Atlanta (his first since back in late May) after giving up five runs and nine hits, walking none, and striking out five in four and two-third innings. Urias picked up a major league-leading 15th win, while Blake Treinen got the save for LA.
The Braves are now 70-60 on the 2021 season and lead the National League East by three and one-half games over the second place Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers are 83-49 and now a game and a half behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West. The Braves and the Dodgers will meet again tonight in the middle outing of a three-game series in LA. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 pm Eastern. The game will be broadcast on WLAQ 1410 AM and 96.9 FM; air time is 8:55 pm.