Blake Snell made his season debut for the Dodgers but struggled in a 7-2 loss to the Braves. The Dodgers' offense failed to support Snell, who allowed five runs in the first two innings.
Key points
Blake Snell made his season debut for the Dodgers
The Dodgers lost to the Braves 7-2
Snell allowed five runs in the first two innings
Mauricio DubĂłn scored the first run for the Braves
It was bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles DodgersAtlanta BravesBlake SnellMauricio DubĂłn
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell delivers during the first inning of a loss to the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. (Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)
It was Blake Snell bobblehead night Saturday at Dodger Stadium but the Atlanta Braves spoiled the left-handerâs season debut with a 7-2 win.
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Atlanta loaded the bases again in the second and Albies poked a two-run single to left. Two more runs scored on Olsonâs single to right and after an inning and a half the Dodgers trailed 5-0. In the bottom of the inning, Eli White made a sprinting catch on the warning track in right field to rob Max Muncy of extra bases.
Snell started the season on the injured list with left shoulder fatigue and was brought back from his rehab assignment early to replace Tyler Glasnow, who was placed on the injured list Friday with back spasms. Snell gave up four earned runs on six hits, with two walks and five strikeouts over three innings and 77 pitches.
While Snell struggled, Atlanta's Spencer Strider was locked in from the start, giving up one hit and striking out seven batters in six innings before being relieved by Dylan Lee.
National League East frontrunner Atlanta (27-13) widened its gap to eight games over Washington while the Dodgers dropped to 24-15 and saw its National League West lead narrowed to one game over San Diego, which beat St. Louis 4-2 earlier in the day.
Jack Dreyer, who relieved Snell, gave up one hit in 1â innings before being relieved by Edgardo Henriquez, who walked Riley and gave up an RBI double to Harris â the fifth hit in two days for the 2022 NL Rookie of the Year. Henriquez went 1â innings before Paul Gervase allowed an RBI single to Baldwin.
One night after dealing Braves ace Chris Sale his second loss of the season, the Dodgersâ offense did not wake up until the ninth inning.
Shohei Ohtani went one for four with a single and two strikeouts. Freddie Freeman had two fly outs and a ground out before Dalton Rushing took his place at first in the seventh.
The Dodgers avoided their second shutout loss of the season and finally gave the crowd of 50,209 reason to cheer in the ninth when Andy Pages belted a two-run home run â his ninth of the season â off reliever Reynoldo Lopez.
Players on both teams played with heavy hearts following the death of former Braves manager Bobby Cox at the age of 84 on Saturday.
Freeman, in his fifth season of a six-year, $162-million deal with the Dodgers, talked about Cox before the game.
âI woke up to the news this morning,â he said. âItâs a sad day in Braves country and all of baseball. My favorite memory of Bobby is seeing joy on his face when he saw my 6-year-old. He had our backs. He wanted to win as much as you do. What stands out is the genuine care he had for every person in that clubhouse.
"My first day of spring training I walk in and he joked âWhy did it take you so long to get to the big leagues?â He cared about the 19-year-old and 40-year-old the same way. I have an autographed Bobby Cox jersey at home.â
Cox's death came just four days after the death of Ted Turner, who owned the Braves from 1976-96.
