ATLANTA - Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 over seven innings of one-run ball Tuesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series.
The reigning World Series MVP outlasted Braves ace Chris Sale (0-1) at Truist Park in a highly anticipated pitching duel.
Yamamoto (1-0) allowed four hits and one walk, giving up his only run on a groundout after loading the bases in the fifth.
The right-hander threw 62 of his 98 pitches for strikes in his first postseason start since closing out Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.
"In a game that could have a major impact on the course of the series, I took the mound with great concentration," said Yamamoto, whose 10 strikeouts were his postseason high. "As usual, I went all out from the first inning."
The Dodgers did their damage with a pair of fourth-inning home runs. Enrique Hernandez crushed a two-run shot to break the ice, followed by a Freddie Freeman solo bomb.
Shohei Ohtani went 0-for-2 with a walk after dropping to fifth in the order as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his lineup for the crucial Game 3 matchup.
The last time Ohtani had started fifth or lower was Sept. 23, 2020, while he was with the Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com.
The Dodgers can clinch their return to the NL Championship Series with a win in Wednesday's Game 4.
"The team will secure one more win, and I'll do my best to prepare for the next series," Yamamoto said.
At Petco Park, Yuki Matsui (1-0) earned the win as the San Diego Padres kept their season alive with a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the other NLDS Game 3.
The Japanese left-hander pitched a scoreless inning after entering with the game tied 2-2 and the bases loaded with two out in the top of the fifth. He escaped the jam by getting Brice Turang to ground into a force out.
The Padres will try to level the series at two wins apiece on Wednesday.
