A Turning Point for Atlanta
The Atlanta Braves snapped a six‑game skid on Wednesday night, rallying to a 6‑5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers that was sealed by Ha‑Seong Kim’s walk‑off single in the bottom of the ninth. The win not only halted a slide that had seen the club lose ten of its previous sixteen games, it also restored confidence in a lineup that had been searching for a spark.
Kim’s heroics were especially meaningful because he had been sidelined since August 15 and had not recorded a hit since June 3. The 30‑year‑old, who signed a one‑year, $20 million contract during the offseason, showed that he was fully recovered and ready to contribute when the team needed it most.
The game unfolded as a back‑and‑forth battle between two NL division leaders. Matt Olson launched his 37th home run, and Sean Murphy added his first of the night with a two‑run double in the fourth inning that gave Atlanta a 5‑3 lead. Tommy Edman answered with a three‑run homer for Los Angeles, and Mookie Betts later tied the contest with a bases‑loaded walk and a single.
Pitching was a mixed bag. Braves starter AJ Smith‑Shawver limited the Dodgers to three runs over five innings, but a blister forced Roki Sasaki out after six hits. The Dodgers managed to knot the score in the seventh, and a double‑play kept the game tied in the eighth despite the Braves loading the bases.
With the series on the line, Atlanta now has a chance to complete a sweep in Thursday’s finale. The Braves will send Chris Sale to the mound against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a matchup that could further cement the club’s resurgence and provide a boost heading into the final stretch of the season.