Ha-Seong Kim came through when the Atlanta Braves needed him most Wednesday night, delivering a pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Braves to a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With the game tied at five, Lane Thomas doubled to right field against Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott. Los Angeles then intentionally walked Austin Riley to face Kim, and the move backfired. Kim lined a single that brought Thomas home with the go-ahead run and gave Atlanta its second straight victory in the series.
Victor Mederos took care of the rest, pitching a perfect ninth inning to earn the win and improve to 3-1.
Atlanta’s offense received plenty of power earlier in the night. Matt Olson blasted his 37th home run of the season, while Sean Murphy connected for his first homer of the year.
Los Angeles grabbed a 3-1 advantage in the third inning when Tommy Edman launched a two-run homer. The Braves answered immediately in the fourth. Riley brought home a run with a sacrifice fly before Drake Baldwin ripped a two-run double to put Atlanta in front, 4-3. Baldwin finished the night with three hits.
Murphy extended the Braves’ advantage to 5-3 with a solo home run in the sixth, but the Dodgers battled back in the seventh. Mookie Betts singled home Shohei Ohtani before Edman drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at five.
The Dodgers threatened to take the lead, but Didier Fuentes escaped further damage by getting Kyle Tucker to line out before inducing Alek Thomas into an inning-ending double play.
Atlanta had its own opportunity in the eighth when the Braves loaded the bases, but Mauricio Dubón grounded into a double play to end the threat.
Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver worked five innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki surrendered four runs on six hits before leaving in the fourth inning with a blister.
The victory gives Atlanta a chance to complete a three-game sweep Thursday night. Braves left-hander Chris Sale, who enters at 12-9 with a 2.20 ERA, will face Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is 12-7 with a 2.61 ERA.
