For the Atlanta Braves, it was a bullpen game, while the Los Angeles Dodgers sent out two-time American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.On Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, the elite starting pitcher led the way.
Skubal was dominant, striking out seven hitters while allowing one run on two hits and two walks over six innings of work in the Dodgers' 5-3 Game 1 NLDS win.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.
This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.The Dodgers began their quest for a third straight World Series title with a statement win over the Braves, but the game didn't start off smoothly.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGELos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal works against an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of Game 1 of a National League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct.3, 2026, in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Mark J.Terrill)Dylan Dodd was the Braves’ starter, and he was fantastic over three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.
In the fourth inning, manager Walt Weiss turned to Victor Mederos, and things quickly went awry.Mederos got catcher Will Smith to fly out but then walked star first baseman Freddie Freeman.With a runner on first and one out, Mederos threw a 92.3 mph cutter right over the middle of the plate, and left fielder Teoscar Hernández didn’t miss it.The ball came off Hernández’s bat at 109.9 mph as he demolished it 431 feet into the left-field bleachers, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
The outfielder admired his blast, remaining in the batter’s box for a few moments before turning and firing his bat toward the Dodgers’ dugout.Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker followed Hernández's blast with a bloop single to left field, and Weiss had seen enough, removing Mederos from the game.Weiss turned to A.J.Smith-Shawver to try to settle things down, which ...