Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Pick & Prediction MAY 24th 2023
Jacob Hoffman
After beating the Atlanta Braves behind rookie starting pitchers on back-to-back nights, the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to veteran Tony Gonsolin as they go for a three-game series sweep on Wednesday.
The Dodgers are 9-2 in their past 11 games against the Braves and are 4-1 during that time in Atlanta.
The finale features a pair of right-handers, as Gonsolin (2-1, 1.13 ERA) will be matched against Atlanta's Bryce Elder (3-0, 2.06).
Gonsolin allowed one hit through five scoreless innings during his latest outing, on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals, and he earned his second straight win. He walked three, struck out three and threw a season-high 94 pitches. He has not allowed an earned run over his past three starts covering 16 innings.
"I feel like the first two or three innings felt really long," Gonsolin said after being the Cardinals 5-0. "Threw a lot of pitches, and the fourth and fifth innings were a little better. Overall, just kind of threw too many pitches."
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "I didn't think he was as sharp as he had been his last three outings. Fastball velocity was down. I don't think the slider was as sharp. The split was good at times, but up at times. I think he just did a good job competing and using what he had to limit runs."
Gonsolin has made three career starts against the Braves, going 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA. He received no-decision in his latest start against Atlanta on June 26, 2022, when he allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Elder will be making his 10th start of the season. In his latest outing, on Friday against the Seattle Mariners, he pitched six-plus innings and allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts but did not receive a decision in a game the Braves won 6-2.
"I made two bad pitches, otherwise I was pleased with it," Elder said. "I'm not trying to do anything more than what I have. I want to be able to go deep in games."
Elder has pitched at least five innings in every start and has worked at least six innings five times. That has given the bullpen some breathing room.
"He had good tempo, threw strikes," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said after the Friday game. "A lot of good things. He's trusting his stuff and has been really good for a long time now."
Elder has never faced the Dodgers.
A pair of former Braves who are wearing Dodgers uniforms have come back to haunt their former team in the series.
Jason Heyward didn't play on Monday but returned to go 2-for-4 with a home run on Tuesday. Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 13 games on Tuesday, and he is 4-for-9 in the series. Freeman is batting .442 (23-for-52) with four homers, seven doubles, one triple, 17 RBIs and 13 runs during the streak.
The Dodgers hit two home runs on Tuesday, giving them 81 this season, second in the majors behind only the Tampa Bay Rays' 95.
Atlanta scored in the first inning on Tuesday for the fifth straight game. The Braves' 42 first-inning runs are the most in baseball.
--Field Level Media
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Recap MAY 24TH 2023
J.D. Martinez hit two home runs and Freddie Freeman had a double and a homer to help the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers overcome a four-run deficit and beat the Atlanta Braves 8-6 in the first game of a three-game series matching the National League's two winningest teams.
Martinez went 4-for-5 with a pair of solo shots, giving him eight for the season. It was his 20th career multi-homer game.
Freeman, who played for Atlanta from 2010-21, went 3-for-5, legging out his 18th double and launching his ninth homer, with three RBI. He extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
Atlanta starter Charlie Morton (5-4) could not hold a four-run lead. He pitched five innings and allowed six runs on seven hits - two of them home runs -- two walks and five strikeouts.
Gavin Stone, making his second career start, pitched four innings and allowed five runs on five hits, five walks and one strikeout.
The winning pitcher was Evan Phillips (1-0), who worked one scoreless frame in relief of Stone. Brusdar Graterol earned a four-out save, his third.
The Braves batted around and scored four times in the first. Sean Murphy had an RBI single and Eddie Rosario belted a three-run homer, his fifth. Atlanta has scored 41 runs in the first inning, the most in the major leagues.
Martinez got the Dodgers on the board with a solo homer, his seventh, in the second.
Los Angeles made it 4-3 with a pair of runs in the fourth on Max Muncy's infield grounder and David Peralta's triple down the first-base line.
The Dodgers took the lead in the fifth inning when Freeman hit a three-run homer, his ninth. It was his third career homer against Morton and the 301st of his career.
Atlanta cut the lead to 6-5 with a run in the fifth. Ronald Acuna Jr. walked and eventually scored on Sean Murphy's infield grounder.
The Dodgers got it back in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Mookie Betts and added another homer from Martinez in the seventh.
Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna extended his hitting streak to nine games and Austin Riley picked up his 500th career hit.
-- Field Level Media