Dodgers slugger Manny Machado wasted no time helping the club to an early lead on Friday night. With the Dodgers angling for a 2-0 advantage in the NLDS, the four-time All-Star worked a 3-0 count against Atlanta right-hander Aníbal Sánchez in the bottom of the first, then drove a 386-footer into the left field stands for a two-run lead.
The first-inning blast gave southpaw Clayton Kershaw some much-needed run support as he plowed through the Braves’ lineup, setting down four straight innings of one-hit, one-strikeout ball. Any thought of a perfect game or no-hitter was erased on Ronald Acuña Jr.'s leadoff double in the first inning (making him the youngest player to record a postseason hit for the Braves in over 20 years), but not a single Braves’ batter has managed to reach base since.
The Dodgers currently lead Atlanta 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
