It was reunion time for some of the players on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves over the weekend, emotional and predictable on several levels.
Freddie Freeman returned to Atlanta for the first time since joining the Dodgers as a free agent after the 2021 season. He won a World Series and an MVP with the Braves, and he was welcomed back ceremoniously by Atlanta.
After Sunday’s game, which the Dodgers won, 5-3 in 11 innings, Freeman told the Associated Press, ``I’m emotionally drained.”
He had quite the weekend. He went 2-for-5 with an RBI double that gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the 10th inning in Sunday night’s game. He was 4-for-12 in the series, scored two runs and struck out four times.
Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel had a bit of a homecoming too. He spent the first five years of his MLB career with the Braves.
But he didn’t exactly do his new team any favors. He blew the save on Sunday night, giving up a run in the bottom of the 10th inning. He did not endear himself to either Dodger fans or Braves fans, with Dodger fans lamenting having Kimbrel in their bullpen and Braves fans grateful he is no longer part of their pitching staff.
But the most dramatic reunion was centered around Kenley Jansen. The new Braves closer had a roller coaster of a career with the Dodgers, blowing saves at key points over the years, but also shutting down teams in the middle of heated pennant races. Over the weekend, Braves fans saw all Jansen has to offer, and why he lost favor in LA.
Jansen earned the save in Saturday’s game, which the Braves won 5-3. He struck out the side in the ninth inning and gave the Dodgers no shot at mounting a comeback.
It looked like Jansen was going to make it two saves in a row, striking out the first two batters he faced in the top of the ninth of Sunday’s game.
But the Dodgers put together three hits in a row, erased a 2-0 Braves lead, and tied the score. The Braves were Jansened.
Trayce Thompson, who is in the midst of his second go-round with the Dodgers, delivered the big blow against Jansen in the ninth. His two-run single tied the score, 2-2.
Chris Taylor delivered the knockout blow in the 11th inning with a run-scoring double to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. Trea Turner added an RBI single to give the Dodgers a little breathing room.
After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, ``That was a heavyweight battle.’’
Indeed it was.
When the week was all over, the Dodgers put together a 5-1 record during their six-game road trip, sweeping the Cincinnati Reds to start the week. They took two of three games against the Braves and ended their season series with a 4-2 record against the reigning World Series champions.
The only real drawback was that Tony Gonsolin didn’t win his 10th game of the season. He pitched into the sixth inning in Sunday’s game against the Braves, but left down 1-0. It wasn’t a total loss, though. Gonsolin lowered his major league leading ERA to 1.58.
Dodgers starter power rankings:
- Tony Gonsolin
- Clayton Kershaw
- Julio Urias
- Tyler Anderson
- Mitch White
The Dodgers (45-26) have a two-game lead over those pesky San Diego Padres in the National League West standings. They start a three-game series in Colorado against the Rockies on Monday and come home to start a four-game weekend series against the Padres on Thursday.
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