The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to the postseason for the sixth consecutive season after winning the National League West, and will now take on the Atlanta Braves in the NL Division Series, beginning Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
There were seven head-to-head meetings between the Braves and Dodgers during the regular season, with three games taking place at Dodger Stadium and four at SunTrust Park. The Dodgers won five of those seven games, which who have decided home-field advantage for the series if the teams had identical regular-season records.
Ahead of Game 1 of the NLDS, we reviewed those regular-season matchups.
Series at Dodger Stadium
June 8: Dodgers 7, Braves 3
The first meeting between these two teams was a good one as it featured rookie sensation Walker Buehler and former teammate Brandon McCarthy on the mound.
Yasmani Grandal caught McCarthy 22 times while he was with the Dodgers, and that wound up working in Grandal’s favor as he took his him deep twice.
Joc Pederson, Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger also homered in the game while Buehler gave up just one run in 5.1 innings, resulting in a convincing victory for Los Angeles.
June 9: Braves 5, Dodgers 3
The Braves got their revenge on the next night though when Logan Forsythe, who is no longer with the team, committed a key error which led to a two-run double by Tyler Flowers.
Muncy homered again, but overall the Dodgers offense could not muster much against Anibal Sanchez, and Alex Wood lasted just 4.2 innings against his former club.
June 10: Dodgers 7, Braves 2
The Dodgers came out on top to win the series with All-Star Ross Stripling turning in a solid outing, allowing just four hits and two runs in 6.2 innings.
On the other hand, the offense tagged Braves starter Sean Newcomb for seven hits and five runs in 5.1 innings. Forsythe had a big day at the plate, hitting a home run and a ground-rule double.
Kiké Hernandez also got the job done with a home run and RBI single, while Muncy homered for the third consecutive game.
Series at SunTrust Park
July 26: Dodgers 8, Braves 2
The series shifted to SunTrust Park at the end of July, but the Dodgers picked up right where they left off at Dodger Stadium.
Manny Machado hit his first home run since being traded in the series opener, and this time the Dodgers were able to get to Sanchez as he allowed seven hits and four earned runs in 6.1 innings.
Rich Hill tossed one of his best outings of the year, giving up just three hits while striking out eight in seven shutout innings. He also helped himself out at the plate with an RBI single.
Braves rookie outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. made his presence felt against the Dodgers for the first time with a two-run home run in the eighth inning, although it came when the game was already out of reach.
July 27: Dodgers 4, Braves 1
The second game of the series featured Mike Foltynewicz, who will start Game 1 of the NLDS for Atlanta, against Clayton Kershaw.
Alex Verdugo and Grandal both took Foltynewicz deep, while Kershaw hit an RBI single off him, which resulted in him lasting just five innings while allowing four earned runs.
Kershaw pitched into the eighth inning just twice in 2018, and one of them was this outing against the Braves. He gave up six hits and a run while striking out eight in 7.2 innings and then handed the ball over to Kenley Jansen for a four-out save.
July 28: Dodgers 5, Braves 1
Wood got his revenge against Atlanta in his second start against them, allowing just one hit in 5.2 shutout innings. He did walk four but pitched around the baserunners the whole day.
Yasiel Puig drove in three for the Dodgers offense with a sacrifice fly and two-run home run, and then Chris Taylor and Machado each drove in runs with singles to extend the lead.
Braves starter Max Fried pitched five innings of one-run ball, so the Dodgers were able to get to the Braves bullpen for four runs in four innings.
July 29: Braves 4, Dodgers 1
The Braves were able to avoid a four-game sweep in the final game of the series behind a gem from Newcomb. The Dodgers were not able to figure out the left-hander all day as he came one out away from pitching a no-hitter.
Taylor broke up his no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth inning though, and then Machado drove him in to ruin the shutout. Newcomb still tossed 8.2 innings of one-run ball to earn a victory.
Nick Markakis drove in all four runs for Atlanta with an RBI-double in the first and then a three-run home run in the third off Ross Stripling.
