Freddie Freeman’s homer helps Dodgers down Braves

Shohei Ohtani hit a go-ahead single in the fifth inning and Freddie Freeman socked a home run against his former team in the sixth as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 3-1 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves on Friday.

The homer off Braves ace Chris Sale was Freeman’s first in 26 games.

The Dodgers won the opener of a seven-game homestand following a 3-3 road trip and an 8-10 stretch going back to April 18.

Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan gave up one run on six hits over 4 2/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. Alex Vesia (1-0) recorded the final out of the fifth, and Tanner Scott pitched the ninth inning for his third save.

Austin Riley had an RBI single for Atlanta, which fell to 4-3 on a nine-game road trip. The Braves dropped two out of three at Seattle this week, their first series loss of the season.

Sale (6-2) gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits over seven innings, allowing more than one run in an outing for just the second time in eight starts this year. He finished with seven strikeouts and no walks.

The Braves struck first against Sheehan, with Riley providing their third hit of the second inning.

The Dodgers tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the second. Teoscar Hernandez singled with one out, and Kyle Tucker followed with an RBI double to right field.

Los Angeles took its first lead in the fifth inning when Miguel Rojas scored on a two-out single to right field by Ohtani.

The Braves had runners at first and third with no outs in the sixth inning against Kyle Hurt, but Dominic Smith grounded into a fielder’s choice, Riley hit a shallow fly ball to right and Mike Yastrzemski struck out.

Freeman’s home run on a 97 mph fastball from Sale was his 100th since leaving the Braves and joining the Dodgers before the 2022 season.

–Field Level Media