ATLANTA—Freddie Freeman’s three-run homer in the fifth inning gave Los Angeles the lead, J.D. Martinez had four hits, including two homers, and the Dodgers rallied to beat the Atlanta Braves 8–6 on Monday night, May 22.
The Dodgers, who trailed 4–0 in the first, won the opener of a three-game series between the top two teams in the National League. Freeman, a longtime Braves star, made the most of his second Atlanta homecoming with three hits to join Martinez in leading the comeback.
Dodgers rookie Gavin Stone allowed five runs on five hits and five walks in four innings in his second start for Los Angeles.
Stone threw 34 pitches while facing nine batters in the first. Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled over James Outman in center field for his 23rd hit leading off a game this season. Acuña scored on Sean Murphy’s single.
Stone walked Austin Riley before giving up Eddie Rosario’s three-run homer for a 4–0 lead.
Charlie Morton (5–4) couldn’t hold it, allowing six runs in five innings. Freeman’s three-run homer off Morton gave the Dodgers a 6–4 lead.
Evan Phillips (1–0) threw a scoreless fifth. Brusdar Graterol got four outs for his third save.
Freeman doubled in the fourth for a 12-game hitting streak and scored on Max Muncy’s groundout to first base.
Martinez hit homers off Morton in the second and A.J. Minter in the seventh for his 20th career multi-homer game. The homer in the seventh came after Muncy singled and was caught stealing.
There was tension in the fourth when Marcell Ozuna popped out to left field and his bat hit the top of catcher Will Smith’s helmet on the follow-through of his swing. Ozuna walked back to the plate with his hands extended as if to apologize. Smith, who missed 13 games in April with a concussion, didn’t seem eager to accept Ozuna’s words.
Acuna came out to escort Ozuna back to the dugout as Dodgers relievers walked out of their bullpen and stood in left field, waiting to see if the situation escalated. There was no further conflict, though Ozuna and Smith exchanged words again in the sixth before Ozuna’s single to right field.
Acuña pulled off an unusual stolen base after walking to open the fifth. After Stone also walked Matt Olson, Acuña advanced to second and then, with no one paying attention, took off for third as Stone held the ball.
‘Surreal’ Return for Freeman
One year after struggling to control his emotions in his first return to Atlanta, Freeman had a big smile instead of tears for reporters before the game. Freeman said he felt “a massive difference” in his second season with the Dodgers following 15 years in the Braves organization and said his emotions during his 2022 return were “kind of raw. ... This time, it’s been all smiles.”Freeman tipped his helmet to fans as he received an ovation when introduced before his first at-bat.
