Betts and the Dodgers come up short 8-7 against Acuna Jr. and the Braves
Los Angeles Dodgers #50 Mookie Betts (2B) had two home runs against the Atlanta Braves. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Baseball fans and MLB got a special treat as the two best teams in the National League slugged it as the Atlanta Braves (88-45) held on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers (83-50) at Dodgers Stadium 8-7, featuring two MVP candidates Mookie Betts, and Ronald Acuna Jr.
"You're watching the game, you're trying to win the game, but it's hard not to watch those two guys go head to head," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Fans, media, people want to see the best perform. To see what Ronald did and then to see how Mookie answered, it was good to see him respond like that."
Lance Lynn (10-10) pitched 4.1 innings, got rocked by Atlanta, and gave up seven hits, seven runs, and three home runs with one strikeout. Spencer Strider (16-4) pitched 6.0 innings for the Braves, allowing four hits, four runs, one run, and nine strikeouts.
Lynn, during the top of the first inning, only gave up one hit to the Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr., Michael Harris II to ground out to second base, Austin Riley to fly out to left field, and Matt Olson to strike out for the third out.
Mookie Betts made it third base from first base with a single by Freddie Freeman. Max Muncy hit into a double play that allowed Betts to score to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Atlanta Braves # 13 Ronald Acuna Jr. (RF) hit a grand slam in the top of the second inning. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
Lynn loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second inning, walked Nicky Lopez to tie the game 1-1, then gave up a grand slam to Acuna Jr. to give the Braves a 5-1 lead.
Atlanta would lead 6-1 after Auston Riley hit a solo home run over the center field wall to end the top of the second inning.
The Braves increased their lead to 7-1 in the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run by Harris II.
The Dodgers trail 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning after Mookie Betts hit a three-run home run over the center-field wall.
The homer was Betts' 250th career blast and his 50th base hit in August, which matched the L.A. Dodgers' record for most hits in any month. In his next at-bat, Betts decided to update both of those numbers.
Atlanta would lead 8-4 in the top of the sixth inning when Harris II singled to center field and Nicky Lopez scored.
The Dodgers trail by two runs, 8-6, in the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo home run by Michael Busch over right field and Betts with his second home run of the night over left field.
Aside from the 51 hits this month, Betts also hit .455 with 11 homers and 30 RBIs. He also came around to score 35 runs. When you look at the Dodgers' 24-5 record in August, it largely started with Betts' production. Overall, his 1.033 OPS leads the NL this season.
Max Muncy would score the final run for the Dodgers in the bottom of the eighth inning and fell to the Braves 8-7 with a solo home run over left field.