Tarik Skubal Anchors Game 1 Victory as Dodgers Take Early NLDS Lead Over Braves

Forget about the staggering $430-million payroll, or the commercial branding adorning their home stadium. On Saturday, the Dodgers turned back the clock in their playoff opener.

There was nothing fancy about their 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of their National League Division Series.

It came down to a starting pitcher methodically retiring batters one after another.

Pitching six innings and allowing just one run, Tarik Skubal did not remain in the game long enough for his start to immediately earn a place alongside the franchise’s greatest pitching performances.

In this contest, the trade-deadline acquisition was not Sandy Koufax or Orel Hershiser.

But Skubal served as a reminder of why the Dodgers remain a difficult opponent for any team in this postseason.

He buys time for their offense.

The Dodgers’ offense was stalled early, blanked over the first three innings by left-handed reliever Dylan Dodd, who was deployed as an opener by Braves manager Walt Weiss.

However, the Dodgers never appeared threatened, as Skubal made easy work of the Atlanta lineup.

After yielding a single to Drake Baldwin to begin the game, Skubal retired the next 15 batters, striking out seven and reaching 101 mph in the process.

While Skubal was on that run, Freddie Freeman drew a walk in the fourth inning, which set up a two-run home run by Teoscar Hernandez.

Skubal surrendered a leadoff home run to Sean Murphy that reduced the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1, but he managed to escape without further damage in what proved to be a two-walk inning.

The Dodgers increased their lead to 5-1 in the sixth inning when Kyle Tucker’s two-run homer was followed by Max Muncy’s solo shot.

The victory was resounding yet still raised concerns, particularly regarding the offense. Every one of their runs came from a home run, and they appeared vulnerable against left-handed pitching.

Those problems could persist.

That is why their starting pitching will be crucial. Just as Skubal kept the Braves in check until the Dodgers began scoring, Blake Snell will be counted on to do the same in Game 2, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3.

They won the World Series by doing this last year, and if they win it again this year, they will likely have to repeat that formula once more.

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