Braves take series in LA, go 6-3 on road

LOS ANGELES — A four-run second inning, another sharp outing from Bryce Elder and a jaw-dropping (game-saving even) catch from Eli White in right field gave the Braves a 7-2 win over the Dodgers on Sunday, a victory that exorcized some Dodger Stadium demons and completed a 6-3 road trip.

The Braves (28-13) had been 9-27 in their last 36 inside the home of the two-time defending world champions going into the weekend. But they bounced back from a 3-1 loss Friday to take the final two games and improve to 11-1-1 in 13 series this season and 6-1 in rubber games.

“Anytime you come out here to LA, you know the fans are in it, and as good a team as the Dodgers are, you got to be ready to roll,” Elder said. “I think we handled our business correctly as we should and we won the series and I’m just happy and pleased with how we played. We played good baseball.”

Elder (4-1) went 5 2/3 and was cruising until walking three to load the bases in the sixth. The right-hander struck out eight and allowed just one hit, a first inning single, and threw 83 pitches.

The day was saved for the Braves in that sixth inning when Max Muncy took a 3-2, 99-mph fastball from reliever Robert Suarez and belted it toward the wall in right field. White took off toward the gap and ran nearly 60 feet to make a leaping catch before crashing into the wall.

Back on the mound, Suarez raised his hands in triumph. Elder started from the dugout in disbelief.

White was in concussion protocol after the game and not available for postgame comment.

“I was down the dugout, so I couldn’t quite see it. I just heard everybody yelling, and then I heard him hit the wall,” Elder said. “So I knew he hit the wall hard, I didn’t know if he robbed it or what. Then I went and watched the replay — that was impressive, special. For him to sacrifice himself there, means a lot. We got a lot of guys like that and it makes you comfortable while you’re pitching because you know they’re gonna go after it.”

Said Braves first baseman Matt Olson: “Putting it all out there to go make the grab. Probably the biggest moment of the game there. Muncy hit that ball well, and (White) got a good beat on it and, like I said, put his body on the line. It was big.”

And from Mauricio Dubón from his vantage point in center field: “It was unreal. That was the game-saving play right there. Forget about (my) three-run double in the second. That was the game-saving catch right there. They get momentum, that’s probably a double, triple if the ball ricochets. That’s a game-saving catch.”

Monday will be a welcome off day for manager Walt Weiss’ club which is scheduled to open a three-game series against the Cubs (27-14) on Tuesday at Truist Park.

The Braves struck first Sunday by putting the ball in play in the second inning. Austin Riley smoked a single to left, Michael Harris II dropped a bunt single toward third and White brought in Riley with a solid single to center.

After Sean Murphy’s fielder’s choice and a walk to Jorge Mateo, Mauricio Dubón ripped a bases-clearing double into the left field corner making it 4-0.

Before Dodgers’ starter Justin Wrobleski, a Sequoyah High School graduate, escaped the second he had already allowed a season high in runs.

Wrobleski (5-1) recalibrated and retired 16 straight Braves after that to keep the score at 4-0. Problem was, Elder was just as sharp, putting together a stretch of setting down 15-straight batters.

Elder’s command suddenly and shockingly went AWOL at that point. The righty walked the bases loaded and was pulled with two outs in the sixth.

“I was pleased with myself, thought my stuff was really good. I think obviously, how it ended kind of sucks,” Elder said. “There’s only so many outing I’m gonna be that crisp and that on with most of my pitches. I think I just kind of got a little out of myself out there.”

Robert Suarez stepped into the fire and fell behind Max Muncy 3-1. Suarez’s 3-2 pitch was laced 107-mph off the bat a line to deep right where White was tracking, leaping and catching before crashing into the wall.

“He’s got what I call game-changing speed,” Weiss said of White. “(White) plays all three outfield spots, gives you a good at bat. He’s been a good player for us. Helped us win a game today.”

Suarez and the Braves weren’t out of the woods quite yet though. A lead-off walk and a catcher’s interference on Murphy put two runners on in the seventh. Shohei Ohtani stepped in the box with two outs but rolled over a changeup and his slow roller to first ended the inning.

Muncy got some retribution in the eighth by hitting a two-run homer off Tyler Kinley, a no-doubter that went 420 feet out to right. That got the Dodgers (24-16) within 6-2 but it was the only offensive noise they made.