Braves steal Game 2 in Los Angeles and bring the NLDS home even

Michael Harris II went 3-for-5 and Atlanta’s bullpen held the Dodgers to two runs in a 3-2 win, evening the NLDS at 1-1. Game 3 is Tuesday at Truist Park with Chris Sale expected to start.

Michael Harris II delivered the game Atlanta needed: three hits, including a triple and a double, while a bullpen plan built around Ray Kerr and Didier Fuentes kept Los Angeles off balance. Raisel Iglesias finished the 3-2 win and Atlanta left California with the series tied.

The tactical payoff is bigger than one road victory. By surviving Game 2 without using Chris Sale, the Braves return home with their ace lined up for Game 3 and home-field leverage restored in a best-of-five series.

Atlanta’s offense still needs to create more margin, but the bullpen’s ability to cover 6 1/3 innings changed the series. The Dodgers went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while Atlanta converted just enough traffic into runs.

Next: Game 3 is Tuesday at 6 p.m. EDT at Truist Park. The NL East standings are no longer relevant to advancement, but Atlanta finished the regular season 94-68 and six games ahead of Philadelphia, so the Braves were 0.0 games behind the division leader because they were the leader.