Dustin May delivered an impressive performance in his return to the mound, pitching five solid innings after nearly two years away. Mookie Betts smashed his third game-winning home run of the season, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the still-winless Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.
The defending World Series champions improved to 7-0, marking their best season start since relocating to Los Angeles. The only better openings in franchise history occurred when they were based in Brooklyn—going 10-0 in 1955 and 9-0 in 1940. Meanwhile, the Braves dropped to 0-6, their worst start since beginning 0-9 in 2016.
May allowed just one hit and an unearned run, striking out six and issuing three walks in his first start since May 2023. The right-hander had been sidelined due to a torn flexor tendon and underwent Tommy John revision surgery last year. Anthony Banda (2-0) secured the win with a scoreless relief inning, while Tanner Scott picked up his second save.
Betts’ throwing error at shortstop in the second inning contributed to Atlanta’s lone run. However, he redeemed himself in the sixth with a two-run homer that barely cleared the left-field wall, scoring Shohei Ohtani, who had led off with a single. The Dodgers have now homered in six consecutive games.
Chris Sale, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, dominated for five innings before Betts’ homer shifted the momentum. Tommy Edman followed with a single and later scored on Will Smith’s hit, ending Sale’s night.
Defensively, Teoscar Hernández made a spectacular catch in the seventh, toppling over the right-field wall but holding on.
Next, the Braves’ Bryce Elder faces Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell (1-0, 3.60 ERA) in Wednesday’s series finale.
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