Early runs enough for Braves to snap Dodgers win streak

Down 4-0 early, Dustin May pitched into the sixth while the offense chipped away. But LA’s bid for an eighth straight win fell one run short on Sunday.

Austin Riley hit two home runs and Bryce Elder held a red-hot Dodgers offense in check in the Braves’ 4-3 win on Sunday night at Truist Park in Atlanta, snapping the Los Angeles winning streak at seven games.

The Dodgers’ chances for a weekend sweep were lessened by a pair of sweepers from Dustin May, hit out of the park by Riley for his second two-homer game of the season. Both home runs were preceded by Braves leadoff man Alex Verdugo reaching base to open an inning, with a walk in the first and a single in the third.

May only allowed one home run in his first five starts combined.

Despite falling behind early, May settled down a bit after Riley’s second home run, getting 11 more outs without further damage to pitch 5⅔ innings with six strikeouts. His 97 pitches tied for third-most in his career, and his most since May 6, 2023.

Elder by contrast got off to a fantastic start, striking out Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman in the first inning, one night after that trio combined for eight hits and eight runs scored.

Max Muncy got an RBI double in the fourth inning off Elder, who struck out six in his five-plus innings. Betts walked and Freeman singled to open the sixth, putting runners at the corners while ending Elder’s night. Pierce Johnson got the next three batters in relief to exit the inning with only one of the two inherited runners coming in, this time on a groundout by Muncy.

The right-handed Johnson also got the first out of the seventh, then was removed in favor of the left-handed Dylan Lee to face lefty-hitting Michael Conforto, who struck out twice against Elder and is hitless in his last 29 at-bats.

Dave Roberts countered with Miguel Rojas, who deposited a slider over the left field wall for his first career pinch-hit home run to pull the Dodgers within one.

Rojas stayed in the game at second base and helped end the bottom of the seventh by contorting to snag a grounder deflected off a diving Freeman, then threw from his backside to a covering Anthony Banda, who twisted himself to secure the out.

Banda pitched a scoreless eighth as well, giving him back-to-back outings of four outs. He’s the first Dodger to pitch in multiple innings on consecutive days this season.

Andy Pages opened the ninth with an infield single, which opened the door for Hyeseong Kim to pinch-run. Kim stole second and then advanced to third on a Will Smith strikeout that required a throw to first base.

“It’s his second major league game,” Buster Olney said of Kim on the ESPN broadcast, “and he’s running with bad intentions.”

But Braves closer Raisel Iglesias struck out his next two batters — Rojas and Austin Barnes — too, to keep the Dodgers tying run 90 feel away.

Sunday particulars

Home runs: Miguel Rojas (1); Austin Riley 2 (8)

WP — Bryce Elder (2-1): 5+ IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts

LP — Dustin May (1-2): 5⅔ IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts

Sv — Raisel Iglesias (5): 1 IP, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers road trip moves onto Miami, and a stretched-out and rested Ben Casparius will get the bulk of the innings against the Marlins in Monday night’s series opener (3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Sandy Alcantara starts for the home team.