Braves Turn to Ray Kerr in Game 2 as Dodgers Lead NLDS
Atlanta sends left-hander Ray Kerr to the mound against Blake Snell and the Dodgers, needing a win at Dodger Stadium to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole in the NLDS.
The Atlanta Braves will hand the ball to left-hander Ray Kerr for Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium, turning to a pitcher with just four major league starts to his name in a game that could define their season. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the best-of-five series 1-0 after a 5-3 victory on Saturday, and a second straight win would put Atlanta on the brink of elimination before the series shifts back home.
Kerr, 32, will be making his fifth career start in the majors. He is coming off his first taste of postseason baseball, having pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief in Thursday's wild-card clincher against the Philadelphia Phillies. In that outing he allowed one hit and struck out two batters, giving Atlanta's coaching staff reason to believe he can handle the pressure of a road playoff start.
The Dodgers counter with Blake Snell, who has been one of the most effective pitchers in the National League this season. Snell enters Game 2 with a 4-1 record and a 1.90 earned run average, a combination of missing bats and limiting hard contact that has made him a reliable anchor for Los Angeles down the stretch.
Saturday's opener was decided early and often by the long ball. The Dodgers hit three home runs, with Teoscar Hernández going 2 for 4 and delivering a two-run shot. Los Angeles ace Tarik Skubal was dominant in the sweltering conditions, striking out seven over six innings and retiring 15 consecutive Braves batters at one point. The temperature at first pitch hovered around 100 degrees, adding a physical toll to an already difficult assignment for the Atlanta lineup.
For the Braves, the math is straightforward. A loss on Sunday would send them home down 2-0 in a best-of-five series, a deficit that has historically been difficult to overcome. A win would even the series at one game apiece and restore home-field advantage when the teams return to Atlanta for Game 3.
First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern, with the game airing on FS1. The Dodgers will host the Braves at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, where the crowd is expected to be loud and the stakes are high for both clubs.
Atlanta's decision to start Kerr reflects both the urgency of the moment and the state of its rotation. The left-hander has shown enough in limited opportunities, including his playoff relief appearance, to earn the trust of manager and coaching staff in a game the Braves cannot afford to lose.
Snell, meanwhile, gives the Dodgers a chance to take full control of the series. A strong outing from the veteran left-hander would put Los Angeles in position to close out the series quickly and save its bullpen for the next round.
The Braves will need to solve Snell early and give Kerr run support, something they failed to do against Skubal on Saturday. Atlanta managed just three runs in the opener, and the middle of the order will be counted on to produce in a game where every at-bat carries extra weight.
Sunday night's result will shape the rest of the series. A Dodgers win would put them one victory away from advancing, while a Braves win would turn the NLDS into a tightly contested sprint with momentum swinging back toward Atlanta.
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