Dodgers 5, Braves 3 – 2026 NLDS Game 1: Skubal’s strong 6 backed by Teoscar, Tucker, Muncy homers to start series off right

Chad Moriyama 10/03/2026 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

While the Braves came into this series with their engines already running, the Dodgers were looking to start their postseason off right in Game 1 of the 2026 NLDS. Things started slowly as the game was scoreless early between Tarik Skubal and Dylan Dodd despite the conditions being as blistering as advertised.

Eventually though, the nature of a pen game benefitted the Dodgers, as they broke through when Dodd exited. Teoscar Hernandez and Kyle Tucker came up with big two-run shots, and Max Muncy added one of his own on. Meanwhile, Skubal only relented a bit in his final inning in the 6th, but he did enough for the pen to get him to the finish line (with some tension) in a 5-3 victory over the Braves to open the playoffs.

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On paper, Game 1 was by far the biggest advantage the Dodgers would have in the series. The matchup saw back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal starting for the Dodgers against a Braves lineup that has struggled with lefties, while the Dodgers lineup got what was essentially a pen game from the Braves that began with lefty Dylan Dodd.

But as mentioned, it was even while Dodd was in the game.

Tarik Skubal & Dylan Dodd duel early on

Skubal’s command wasn’t sharp early on, which led to him not being able to finish batters, despite getting to two strikes on all of them. He gave up a lead-off single on an up changeup to Drake Baldwin, and he made it to second on a groundout, but Skubal was able to get another groundout and an infield pop to end the minor threat in the 1st.

He looked like he settled in for the 2nd, as he touched 101 MPH and the command of especially his change up was improved. As a result, he got a pair of strikeouts in a 1-2-3 frame that took just 10 pitches.

Skubal then rolled on in the 3rd, striking out the side and looking dialed in.

Thank to a beautiful diving play by Tommy Edman at second, Skubal also got through a 1-2-3 frame in the 4th on just nine pitches.

Unfortunately, as all this was going on the score was still tied 0-0.

The Dodgers at least should’ve had a rally against Dodd in the 1st. Mookie Betts was rung up by the umpire on the eighth pitch of his at-bat after taking a ball out of the zone on a full count, and he seemed to know it but presumably didn’t challenge due to leverage. Shohei Ohtani promptly followed with a single, which should’ve given them a pair on and nobody out, but instead he didn’t move before the frame ended.

Dodd followed that up by striking out the side in the 2nd, including getting Andy Pages to burn a challenge on a pretty obvious strike.

He was effective so the opener continued to roll and he gave up just a bloop two-out single to Mookie in the 3rd. Dodd went three shutout on 47 pitches and did basically exactly what the Braves were looking for.

Who else but Teoscar Hernandez?

Things changed quickly in the 4th when the Braves brought in Victor Mederos. While he got his first batter, Freddie Freeman drew a four-pitch walk and Teoscar Hernandez followed by absolutely annihilating a 1-1 cutter to left for a two-run shot to make it 2-0 Dodgers.

After Kyle Tucker followed with a bloop single, Mederos’ day was already over in favor of AJ Smith-Shawver. He started by getting a flyout, and Tucker then stole second, but he was stranded there when Max Muncy lined out to first to end the 4th. He also managed to work around a one-out Mookie walk in the 5th for a scoreless inning.

Meanwhile, Skubal got an 11-pitch frame in the 5th that concluded with an emphatic strikeout after battling back from 3-0, his first three-ball count.

That made it 15 in a row retired following Baldwin’s lead-off single, but despite burning a challenge on the first pitch of the inning, Sean Murphy abruptly ended that streak to start the 6th, hitting a no-doubter off a 1-2 fastball at the top of the zone to cut the lead to 2-1 Dodgers.

Skubal followed that by issuing a 3-2 walk to Ha-Seong Kim, though he did get a pair of groundouts after that. However, he then walked Ozzie Albies as well to put a pair on, but mercifully got a flyout to end the 28-pitch inning that ran his pitch count up to 94.

That ended up being it for him, but he did his job in this oppressive heat: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 94 Pitches.

Insurance from Kyle Tucker & Max Muncy allows Dodgers pen to cook

Braves manager Walt Weiss then flew a bit too close to the sun by letting Smith-Shawver continue in the 6th. Freddie started by lining out, Teoscar then lined a hard single back up the middle, and Tucker jumped all over a 1-0 fastball for a towering homer to right for a 4-1 Dodgers lead.

After ASS rebounded with a strikeout, he then gave up a towering shot down the line in right on 2-1 splitter to Muncy for another homer to make it 5-1 Dodgers.

He also issued a walk after that, but got the final out of the 6th to conclude that crooked number for the Dodgers. 53 pitches on the day for him.

Lefty Brent Suter then entered for the 7th and gave up just a two-out single, but the Dodgers at least worked the count and made him throw 20 pitches to get through the frame. He also remained in for the 8th, striking out a pair in a clean frame, but did throw 33 pitches total to probably make him unavailable tomorrow at least.

And so, it was up to the bullpen for three frames.

Surprisingly, Dave Roberts started with Brock Stewart in the 7th, and he responded with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to cruise through a 13-pitch frame.

Alex Vesia was next up in the 8th, cruising himself through 15 pitches, including a strikeout of pinch-hitter Lane Thomas for Kim (he went to left, Dubon moved from left to short).

The 9th was given to Tanner Scott and saw Enrique Hernandez head to left for Teoscar, and Tanner was very much did cause for concern. He gave up a lead-off single to Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies followed that by hitting a first-pitch fastball out to center to make the lead just 5-3.

Fortunately, he did settle back in to get the next two on groundouts (12 pitches for him). However, Dave Roberts was taking no chances and went with Evan Phillips for the final out. He gave up a full-count walk to Mauricio Dubon — during which Will Smith burned their final challenge trying to end the game — which brought the tying run to the plate, but after Dubon took second on defensive indifference, he got Austin Riley to groundout to end it. 12 pitches total. Phew.

Well, that was a bit more interesting than I wanted at the end. But obviously the W is what matters.

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Obviously, the Dodgers lead the NLDS over the Braves, 1-0. One win down, two more to go on the NLDS, and hopefully 10 more in total for the year.

Same teams and same place tomorrow, but thankfully a time four hours later than today at 2:00 PM HT/5:00 PM PT/8:00 PM ET on FS1. Both teams had been playing it coy on who’s starting, but Blake Snell was announced for the Dodgers prior to today’s game, and I would be surprised if his counterpart was anybody but Chris Sale. What a matchup.

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