Dodgers Fall to Braves in Late-Game Collapse Marked by Pitcher Injury

The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a disheartening 6-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night, a defeat compounded by an early injury to pitcher Roki Sasaki and a costly fielding miscue.

Sasaki was removed in the fourth inning due to a blister on his throwing hand, a setback that occurred after the Dodgers had built an early advantage. The team's lead began to unravel in the same inning following a fielding mistake by Teoscar Hernández in left field. The Dodgers ultimately lost the game on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Dodgers initially held a 3-1 lead. Tommy Edman doubled and scored on an RBI single by Hunter Feduccia in the second inning, and then Edman hit a two-run homer in the third.

However, the momentum shifted in the bottom of the fourth. Sasaki, who had retired seven of his previous nine batters after allowing a run in the first, encountered immediate trouble. After issuing a leadoff walk and a single, he allowed a run-scoring sacrifice fly and a double. Pitching coach Mark Prior and interpreter Will Ireton visited the mound, followed by manager Dave Roberts and head athletic trainer Thomas Albert, who inspected Sasaki's hand. The 24-year-old pitcher then departed the game.

Shortly after Sasaki's exit, Hernández misjudged a fly ball hit by Braves slugger Drake Baldwin, overrunning it as it landed for a two-run double that gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead. The Braves extended their lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Sean Murphy.

The Dodgers managed to tie the score in the seventh inning. Shohei Ohtani doubled, and the team drew two walks, including a bases-loaded free pass from Edman that leveled the game at 5-5. Despite loading the bases again with no outs, the Dodgers failed to score, with Kyle Tucker flying out and Alek Thomas hitting into a double play. The team again left the bases loaded in the eighth inning when Max Muncy struck out.

Both teams left 11 runners on base throughout the game. In the bottom of the ninth, with Tanner Scott on the mound for the Dodgers, Lane Thomas hit a two-out double. An intentional walk to Austin Riley set the stage for pinch-hitter Ha-Seong Kim, who delivered a walk-off line drive single to left field to secure the victory for the Braves.