Field Level Media
Apr 20, 2022
Tony Gonsolin worked six scoreless innings and Freddie Freeman hit another home run against his former team as the host Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Wednesday to take two of three games in the series.
The matchup was between two teams that faced off in each of the last two National League Championship Series.
Gonsolin (1-0) did not allow a hit until the sixth when Atlanta catcher Manny Pina legged out an infield single to foil a defensive shift. It was the only hit he allowed in a season-high six innings. Gonsolin struck out three, walked three and earned his first career win against the Braves.
The Dodgers right-hander has allowed only one run in 13 innings over three starts and lowered his ERA to 0.69.
Freeman cracked a two-run homer in the first inning, his second in the three games, and has hit safely in eight of 12 games. He went 4-for-11 with two homers in the three-game series.
Braves right-hander Charlie Morton (1-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He gave up two home runs.
Freeman put the Dodgers on the board with a homer in his first at-bat, a 379-foot two-run shot to right-center field. His first as a member of the Dodgers came in his first at-bat of Friday's series opener.
Los Angeles added a run in the fifth on a solo homer by Edwin Rios, his first.
The Dodgers tacked on a run in the sixth when Cody Bellinger tripled into the right-field corner, scoring Will Smith. They made it 5-0 in the seventh when Justin Turner drove in a run with a single against reliever Collin McHugh.
Atlanta scored its only run with two outs in the ninth against reliever Mitch White on back-to-back doubles by Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna.
The Braves played without starting third baseman Austin Riley, who was placed on paternity leave to return to Atlanta. Travis Demeritte was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett as a replacement, but Orlando Arcia started at third and went 0-for-2 with a walk.
Both teams are off on Thursday and return to play Friday. Los Angeles begins a three-game set in San Diego and Atlanta returns home for a three-game series against Miami.
--Field Level Media