Things Look Good for the Braves After Beating Dodgers in NLDS Game 2

Written By Jason Green | Published at October 5, 2026

Things look good for the Braves after the 1-0 win over the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS. They now head home with the series tied 1-1 and have their Ace on the hill for Game 3. — Oct 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) singles during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Things look good for the Braves after their 3-2 win over the L.A. Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS, tying the series at a game apiece. They not only tied the series but now head home and have their Ace on the mound for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Six Pitchers do the Trick for the Braves

Braves manager Walt Weiss decided to give Ace Chris Sale another day of rest to start Game 3 of the NLDS in Atlanta. In the Game 2 win, that decision worked, with six pitchers holding the Dodgers to two runs. Dylan Lee got the win despite only pitching 2/3 of an inning, and Ray Kerr got the start and held the Dodgers scoreless in 2 2/3 innings. Overall, the six pitchers held the Dodgers to only six hits.

Michael Harris II had a big game with three hits, including a double and a triple, scored on a wild pitch, and had an RBI. Mauricio Dubon also drove in a run in the win.

Things Look Good for the Braves Back Home

The Braves will send Sale to the mound in Game 3; this season he is 14-9, ranks third in the Majors with a 2.16 ERA, and is tied for 11th with 200 strikeouts. He pitched twice in the Wild Card series, leading the Braves to a win in Game 1, giving up three runs in 6 1/3 innings and striking out nine. The main reason he did not start Game 2 against the Dodgers is that he pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to close out Game 3 of the Wild Card Series win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sale Has Success Against the Dodgers

In Sale’s first start of the season, facing the Dodgers in L.A., he gave up two runs in seven innings but got little help from the lineup in a 3-1 loss. In his last meeting against them in Atlanta, he got little help again but didn't need it, tossing a complete-game shutout and allowing only five hits in the 1-0 win.

While the Braves have to feel good about being tied in this series and going home with Sale starting Game 3, they still have a lot of work to do. In Game 3 the Dodgers will start Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.52 ERA, 0.87 WHIP), and he ranks fifth in ERA and opposed Sale in his gem in Atlanta this season, giving up only one run in 6 1/3 innings.