LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 02: Orlando Arcia #11 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the tenth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 02, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped their third straight game to the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves, 4-2 in extra innings on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
Shortstop Orlando Arcia hit a three-run homer with two outs in the top of the 10th inning to give the Braves a commanding 4-1 lead.
Saturday's game was a matchup of two young pitchers in all-star right-hander Bryce Elder and rookie Emmet Sheehan.
Ronald Acuña Jr. homered for the third straight game when he obliterated a 3-0 fastball from Sheehan 455 feet to straightaway center. The mammoth home run had an exit velocity of 121.2 MPH, making it the third hardest hit home run since it became an official stat in 2015, and the hardest hit ball in the majors this season.
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The Dodgers tied the game in the bottom half of the inning after Austin Barnes hit a leadoff double and scored three batters later after Will Smith grounded into a double play.
Neither team recorded a hit after the 4th inning until Arcia's home run in the top of the tenth.
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Elder spun six innings, allowing just one run on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
In his first appearance since August 3rd, Sheehan also allowed just one run in four innings, giving up three hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.
Dodgers' reliever Alex Vesia recorded the first two outs of the top of the tenth before walking Braves' catcher Sean Murphy on four pitches. That set the table for Arcia who belted his 17th home run of the season deep into the left pavilion that put Atlanta up for good. Arcia's 17 home runs are a career-high.
The Braves have won the first three games of the best-of-four series. The highly anticipated matchup of two of the best teams in baseball has been a lopsided affair. The Dodgers had not lost three consecutive games since June 16-18 against the San Francisco Giants, and now have the second-best home record in baseball behind the Braves.
The Dodgers are tied with the Seattle Mariners at 32-14 for the best record in baseball since the All-Star break.
The victory puts the Braves at 90-45 on the year, the first team in the major leagues to record 90 wins.
UP NEXT:
Braves: Charlie Morton will take the mound for Atlanta on Sunday as the Braves smell blood and search for the four-game sweep.
Dodgers: Rookie Bobby Miller will face the Braves for the second time this season, as he tries to salvage a game in the series for Los Angeles. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10PM.
