Despite all the injuries to their pitching staff and questions about the depth of their roster, the Dodgers still believe.
That they can secure the division title in the National League West.
That they can make a deep, if unconventional, run in October.
That, as manager Dave Roberts stated, “the talent we have, the character we have, is enough to win the World Series.”
If so, they need more performances like Sunday’s 9-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.
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After starting the night with losses in six of their previous nine games and their lead in the NL West cut to three games by the surging San Diego Padres, the Dodgers put everything in place to win at Truist Park.
Walker Buehler struggled with leadership early on and ultimately pitched six strong innings, one of his best performances of the season.
The line-up overcame an early two-point deficit, a testament to the kind of fighting spirit that has been lacking at times in recent weeks.
With the score tied 2-2 in the ninth inning, their superstars erupted with a seven-run rally that began with an RBI single by Mookie Betts and included three consecutive home runs by Teoscar Hernández, Tommy Edman and Max Muncy.
It was a sigh of relief, a burst of joy and a possible playoff berth that ultimately resulted in a momentum-shifting victory.
The Dodgers’ seven-run ninth inning was initially sparked by one of their coolest hitters: Will Smith hit a fly ball that bounced off the high brick wall in right-center field for a triple.
Two batters later, the Braves faced a decision: Let right-handed closer Raisel Iglesias pitch to Shohei Ohtani? Or intentionally walk the left-handed hitter, the most valuable player who was favored to face Betts.
Braves manager Brian Snitker chose the latter.
And just as Betts did in a similar situation against the Angels earlier this month, he made Atlanta pay right away.
On the third pitch of his at bat, Betts hit a center-cut fastball through the infield for an RBI single, giving the Dodgers their first lead of this weekend’s series.
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Former Braves star Freddie Freeman quickly provided some assurance by hitting a single to left, scoring two runs after Jarred Kelenic misplayed the ball.
From there, the Dodgers (88-61) vented their frustrations of the past few days — including Saturday’s news that top pitcher Tyler Glasnow will likely miss the rest of the season with a sprained elbow — in explosive fashion.
Hernández hit his 29th home run of the season to left. Muncy and Edman followed with solo hits that gave the Dodgers their third set of back-to-back-to-back home runs this month.
If Buehler hadn’t put forth such an effort earlier that night, none of this might have happened.
Buehler nearly went down in a 31-pitch, two-run third inning, with the Dodgers’ sloppy defense offering little help.
The Braves had the bases loaded with one out and were forced to move around a few times when catcher Austin Barnes (who later left the field with a bruise on the same big toe he broke last month) committed a foul.
Another walk to Matt Olson, after Buehler was up 0-2 in the count, set up the first run of the night.
In the next at bat, Buehler coaxed a slow grounder from Travis d’Arnaud. But on what would have been a tricky double play, the Dodgers failed to record an out, with Gavin Lux bouncing the ball at second base to bring in a run, making it 2-0.
After that, Buehler calmed down.
He retired the next two batters to limit the damage in the third inning.
He then pitched three more innings of much-needed efficiency, allowing only one infield single in a six-inning game the rest of the way, scoring two runs (one earned).
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The Braves (81-68) allowed the Dodgers to get back into the game through their own sloppy execution.
After cutting the difference in half with an RBI double in the fifth inning, Ohtani got another chance in the seventh inning with runners on base, thanks in part to left-handed pitcher Dylan Lee of the Braves.
With two outs in the inning, Lee had Smith in a full count, but then committed a pitch clock violation (his second of the inning) that led to an automatic walk. After pinch-hitter Andy Pages followed with a single, Ohtani came back to the plate and doubled again, dropping a line drive down the right-field line.
That made the score 2-2. Two innings later, the Dodgers took the lead for good.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
