LOS ANGELES — Atlanta's Cy Young gambit delivered a Hollywood sucker punch as the Braves edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 at Dodger Stadium to even the best-of-five National League Division Series at 1-1. Facing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell with a bullpen game for the third consecutive contest, Atlanta held on late to deny what was supposed to be a glorified bye for the two-time defending World Series champions.
Atlanta opted to give 37-year-old Cy Young winner Chris Sale ample rest after he threw 24 pitches in relief on Thursday, saving him for Game 3 where he will oppose World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto after shutting out the Dodgers in August. Instead, 32-year-old rookie Ray Kerr got the start — the former foster care youth who worked at a local 7-Eleven and cleaned movie theaters to make ends meet as a junior college player in Reno — and Atlanta native Michael Harris II provided the offense with a single, double, triple, run scored and RBI. The plan worked as manager Weiss purposely held back his top leverage relievers for Sunday after losing Game 1. "I think losing the way we did [Saturday]," Weiss said, "allowed us to do what we did tonight and gain the split."
"We're feeling pretty good," Atlanta DH Rowdy Tellez told USA TODAY Sports. "It's big getting the split here and going back to our place. We know we're going to be facing Yamamoto, so to have our best counterpart go against counterpoint, I think is going to be good for us. We also saw a lot of their pitchers, so that puts us in a good spot." Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski added: "I think in a realistic world, coming in there and leaving at 1-1, was a really good scenario for us to be able to take that home. This is not an easy place to play, especially in the playoffs, and it's not an easy team to beat. So, to leave here 1-1 and have Sale going is awesome. It's nice that he got rest, too." Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts responded: "We need to get going offensively. It's not going to be easy, but I mean we knew that from the beginning. We know it's going to be a tough matchup, no matter who's on the mound."
The bridge belonged to 21-year-old Didier Fuentes, the youngest pitcher in baseball, who retired 11 consecutive batters — the longest streak by a reliever that young in postseason history. Entering in the sixth as the fifth Atlanta pitcher, Fuentes came within one strike of a four-out save before Max Muncy homered, with Raisel Iglesias then recording the final out on a Josue De Paula pop out. "It wasn't the plan, believe me," Weiss said. "When I went to him in the sixth, I was thinking I've got to get the last four innings between him and Iglesias. To be honest with you, I thought it would probably be most likely two and two, but Didi was throwing the ball so well, I didn't want to mess with that. He was throwing the ball really well. ... I don't want to get in the way of a good thing." Fuentes said: "It was super emotional, very exciting, against the Dodgers no less. It's been nice to be able to gain that confidence throughout the whole season, and just gain that experience as well. The message stays the same. Whenever you need me, just let me know, and I'll do whatever the team needs."
"Ray Kerr is amazing, man," Weiss said. "He did it again for us, just amazing. There always seems to be some unsung heroes in the postseason. Ray's definitely one of them." Kerr, who helped Atlanta beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round with 3 1/2 shutout innings as the starter in the deciding Game 3, again delivered in a high-leverage spot. The series now shifts to Atlanta with Sale lined up for Game 3 and Tyler Mahle — baseball's biggest trade deadline acquisition at 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA — scheduled for Game 4, while the Dodgers counter with Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 and two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal for a potential Game 5. "Look, we've got to face more Cy Young Award winners for them," Weiss said. "Every starter on their staff is a Cy Young guy. It doesn't get any easier, but I like the fact that we go back home even and we have Chris Sale." Michael Harris II flirted with the cycle as Atlanta evened the series in the key Game 2 victory.