The Los Angeles Dodgers seized control of their National League Division Series matchup with a commanding 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 on Sunday at Truist Park, taking a 2-1 series lead behind a dominant performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto delivered seven stellar innings of one-run baseball, striking out 10 Braves batters while allowing just four hits. The Japanese right-hander's postseason excellence continued to shine through, as he consistently worked ahead in the count and neutralized Atlanta's lineup with a devastating splitter that left Braves hitters flailing.

"He's just not afraid," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. "Yamamoto attacks the zone with conviction, and that's what you need in October."

The Dodgers broke through against Braves ace Chris Sale in the fourth inning with a three-run outburst that proved decisive. After Sale had cruised through the first three frames, the Los Angeles offense finally found its timing against the veteran lefty.

Freeman's Emotional Return

Freddie Freeman, making his first postseason appearance at Truist Park since departing Atlanta as a free agent, received a chorus of boos from the crowd of 40,917. The former Braves star was robbed of a home run on a spectacular catch earlier in the game, but he got his revenge with a solo shot that extended the Dodgers' lead.

Enrique Hernández also went deep for Los Angeles, contributing to the three-run fourth that put the Dodgers ahead for good. The offensive support gave Yamamoto all the cushion he needed to carve up the Braves lineup, which managed just one run on a late solo homer.

Braves manager Brian Snitker watched his team's offensive struggles continue, as Atlanta has now scored just six runs through the first three games of the series. The Braves entered the postseason riding high after winning 94 games during the regular season, but their bats have gone silent when it matters most.

Bullpen Holds Strong

Evan Phillips closed out the victory with a scoreless ninth inning, preserving Yamamoto's gem and putting the Dodgers one win away from advancing to the National League Championship Series. The Los Angeles bullpen, which struggled at times during the regular season, has been lights-out in October.

Sale took the loss after allowing three earned runs over five innings of work. The 2024 Cy Young Award winner struck out seven batters but couldn't match Yamamoto's dominance, as the Dodgers worked quality at-bats and capitalized when they got pitches to hit.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night back at Truist Park, with the Braves facing elimination. Atlanta will need to solve the Dodgers' pitching staff quickly or risk seeing their 2026 season come to an abrupt end. Los Angeles has the pitching depth to close out the series, but the Braves still have life with two chances to force a deciding Game 5 back in California.

The temperature at first pitch was 65 degrees under the Georgia autumn sky, and the atmosphere was electric despite the disappointing result for the home crowd. The game lasted three hours and six minutes, broadcast nationally on FS1 to millions of viewers watching the October drama unfold.