Enrique Hernandez played in just 41 games this season. He hit four home runs. None of that matters when the calendar turns to October for the Dodgers’ postseason performer.
Hernandez crushed a two-run homer off Chris Sale on Tuesday night to power Los Angeles to a 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.
The two-time defending World Series champions have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. They can clinch their berth into the NL Championship Series on Wednesday night at Truist Park.
Roberts benched Tommy Edman for Hernandez against Sale, citing “intensity, urgency.” Hernandez struck out his first time up. His second time, with Andy Pages on first, he drove a Sale changeup 406 feet to left for his first homer
of this postseason. It was his 17th career postseason home run.
Two batters later, Freddie Freeman homered to right-center.
That was all the Dodgers needed from a lineup Sale had dominated early. He struck out six of the first nine hitters he faced, including Ohtani with two runners on in the first.
Sale lasted five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. The Dodgers ran his pitch count to 95.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto made the lead hold up with Drake Baldwin’s ground out bringing in Atlanta’s only run. He allowed just one run over seven innings, striking out 10 and walking one. He gave up four hits.
Where to watch Dodgers vs Braves today: TV channel, streaming
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- TV channel: FS1
- Live stream: Fubo and Fox One
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Dodgers vs Braves NLDS schedule
- Game 1 (Saturday, Oct. 3): Dodgers 5, Braves 3
- Game 2 (Sunday, Oct. 4): Braves 3, Dodgers 2
- Game 3 (Tuesday, Oct. 6): Dodgers 3, Braves 1
- Game 4 (Wednesday, Oct. 7)*: At Atlanta, 6 p.m. ET
- Game 5 (Friday, Oct. 9)*: At Los Angeles, 8 p.m. ET
Dodgers vs Braves live updates:
When is next Dodgers-Braves game?
09:16 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse Yomtov- Game 1 (Oct. 3): Dodgers 5, Braves 3
- Game 2 (Oct. 4): Braves 3, Dodgers 2
- Game 3 (Oct. 6): Dodgers 3, Braves 1
- Game 4 (Wednesday, Oct. 7)*: At Atlanta, 6 p.m. ET
- Game 5 (Friday, Oct. 9)*: At Los Angeles, 8 p.m. ET
Miguel Rojas injury worry for Dodgers
08:38 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovMiguel Rojas was removed from the game in the top of the eighth inning after appearing to injure himself on a swing. Tommy Edman came in to finish the at-bat and Rojas was seen with trainers in the dugout heading towards the clubhouse.
Miguel Rojas had some pain after this swing.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 7, 2026
He was checked by trainers and then exited the game. pic.twitter.com/SlECYm8tAa
Chris Sale's NLDS Game 3 line: seven strikeouts, two costly homers
08:10 PM ET, October 6 2026Chris Sale's night ended after five innings with the Braves down 3-1. He struck out seven, walked none and allowed three runs on seven hits, needing 95 pitches to get there.
He was nearly untouchable early, with six strikeouts through two innings, and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third. But the fourth undid him. Enrique Hernandez's two-run homer on a changeup and Freddie Freeman's solo shot on a sinker cost him and the Braves.
Left-hander Dylan Dodd took over in the sixth, struck out two and kept it a two-run game.
Chris Sale's final line in Game 3. pic.twitter.com/s8vjp7Q0i1
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) October 6, 2026
Braves cut Dodgers lead to 3-1 on Drake Baldwin groundout
07:59 PM ET, October 6 2026Pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez walked to load the bases in the fifth, and Drake Baldwin's groundout to first scored Mauricio Dubon to get Atlanta on the board. Yoshinobu Yamamoto limited the damage to one run, getting Ronald Acuna Jr. to ground out and strand two.
The Dodgers lead 3-1.
Enrique Hernandez and Freddie Freeman strike first.
07:56 PM ET, October 6 2026The Los Angeles Dodgers struck first in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park in Atlanta. Enrique Hernández had the honors and sparked a jolt in the Dodgers dugout with his 17th career postseason homer.
Freddie Freeman sent Chris Sale's 95 mph sinker flying across center field, soaring 399 feet out of the playing area for a solo home run as the Dodgers' lead climbed to 3-0.
Read more here.
Chris Sale escapes again
07:09 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovThe Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs – including Shohei Ohtani reaching on a catcher's interference but got Miguel Rojas to line out to right field to end the top of the third. Los Angeles has stranded six runners in three innings.
Mauricio Dubon robs Freddie Freeman
07:02 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovMAURICIOOOOOO!!!!!#LetItFly pic.twitter.com/pG5gAaoJDl
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 6, 2026
Mauricio Dubón robbed Freeman of the homer, leaping on to the fence to make the stab before the ball was out of play.
Read more here.
Dodgers strand another: 0-0
06:44 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovKyle Tucker singled with two outs in the bottom of the second against Chris Sale and then stole second base, but Enrique Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. All six of Sale's outs have come via the strikeout through two innings.
Three more strikeouts for Chris Sale!
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2026
6 Ks through 2 innings 🤯 pic.twitter.com/hKwDfWNaom
Chris Sale whiffs Ohtani
06:23 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovIn the top of the first, Mookie Betts hit an infield single and Teoscar Hernandez reached on error with one out, putting runners on first and second. But Chris Sale bounced back to strike out Will Smith and Shohei Ohtani to end the inning and strand two.
Chris Sale strikes out Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Shohei Ohtani in the top of the 1st! pic.twitter.com/0tBSNZciyf
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2026
Dodgers vs Braves odds, prediction
05:44 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse Yomtov
Ronald Acuna Jr. moves to DH for Braves in NLDS Game 3 with sore knee
04:39 PM ET, October 6 2026Ronald Acuna Jr. will still hit second for the Braves against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he won't play right field.
His right knee has been sore since a slide over the weekend, MLB.com reported. Lane Thomas will play right field for Game 3. He will bat seventh. Sean Murphy was in that spot as the designated hitter and he is now out of the lineup.
Thomas missed most of September with a left intercostal strain, a rib-cage muscle injury. His first start back came in Game 2, which Atlanta won 3-2 to tie the series.
Acuna's knee has been sore since he slid during Sunday's game. So, they will use him at DH tonight. Lane Thomas will now be in right and Sean Murphy is no longer in the lineup. https://t.co/koRd2fgwDU
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 6, 2026
Miguel Rojas talks Chris Sale
04:10 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse Yomtov"Today we know we're in for a battle. We know it's not going to be a quick one. We know we're going to have to execute," Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said before Game 3
"Obviously throwing a complete game against a team like us is never easy. But we're facing a really good pitcher that's been doing it for a long time.
"We know that we were going to face Chris, maybe once, twice, out of the bullpen. We were ready for it. So here today we're ready to make adjustments of our last time. And definitely it's going to come out who executes the plan better, and hopefully we can get a big hit today."
Dodgers lineup for Game 3
03:03 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovThe Los Angeles Dodgers responded aggressively to Shohei Ohtani's struggles and the presence of Braves lefty ace Chris Sale in Game 3 of the NL Division Series, batting Ohtani fifth - the lowest he's batted in a game since 2020 with the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani had two singles in eight at-bats in the first two games of their NLDS, but his struggles run much deeper since he's been hobbled with knee and triceps injuries the second half of the season.
- Mookie Betts (R) SS
- Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
- Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
- Will Smith (R) C
- Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
- Miguel Rojas (R) 2B
- Andy Pages (R) CF
- Kyle Tucker (L) RF
- Enrique Hernández (R) 3B
Braves lineup today
02:14 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse Yomtov- Drake Baldwin (L) C
- Ronald Acuña Jr. (R) RF
- Matt Olson (L) 1B
- Ozzie Albies (S) 2B
- Michael Harris II (L) CF
- Mauricio Dubón (R) LF
- Sean Murphy (R) DH
- Austin Riley (R) 3B
- Ha-Seong Kim (R) SS
Braves vs Dodgers tickets
01:48 PM ET, October 6 2026, Jesse YomtovGet MLB playoffs tickets
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers' playoff kings carry LA in win vs Braves to seize control in NLDS
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