The Braves do not need to dominate Los Angeles; they need to compress the series. A competitive first three games gives Atlanta a realistic route to two wins and turns Games 4 and 5 into pressure events.
Pitching deployment is the central variable after the Wild Card round. The Dodgers are deeper and rested, so Atlanta benefits from clean defense, efficient innings and avoiding bullpen emergencies early.
The upside is that postseason baseball is unusually sensitive to short bursts of pitching and power. Atlanta has enough of both to make the favorite uncomfortable if it keeps games within one swing.