The Atlanta Braves finally broke their Los Angeles curse in style, riding a dominant pitching performance and a relentless early attack to a 7-2 victory over the Dodgers on Saturday night.
Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson each drove in two runs as the Braves pounced on Dodgers starter Blake Snell, who lasted just three rocky innings in his season debut. The win snapped Atlanta's eight-game losing streak at Dodger Stadium, a drought that had hung over the team since 2022.
Spencer Strider was the star on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings to pick up his first win of the season. The right-hander kept the dangerous Dodgers lineup off balance all night, allowing just three hits while striking out seven. Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, and Drake Baldwin each added an RBI to round out the Braves' offensive attack.
Snell's return to the mound was anything but smooth. The left-hander had been sidelined with left shoulder fatigue after missing most of 2025 with a similar injury, though he returned to help the Dodgers win their second straight World Series title last fall. Originally scheduled for another minor league rehab start, Los Angeles pushed him up hoping for five innings. Instead, he was pulled after allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 77 pitches.
The Braves wasted no time putting pressure on Snell. In the first inning, they loaded the bases with nobody out but managed only one run. The second inning was a different story. Atlanta again loaded the bases, and this time they made Snell pay. Albies stretched to poke a two-run single through the infield, and Olson followed with another two-run single to give the Braves a commanding 5-0 lead.
Andy Pages spoiled the shutout with a two-run homer in the ninth inning for the Dodgers, but the damage was done.
Before the game, both teams observed a moment of silence honoring two baseball legends: longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox, who passed away Saturday, and former Braves owner Ted Turner, the media mogul who died Wednesday.
The series concludes Sunday with Bryce Elder (3-1, 2.02 ERA) taking the mound for Atlanta. Elder has been particularly tough on the road this season, holding opponents to a .136 batting average over 19 2/3 innings away from home. The Dodgers will counter with Justin Wrobleski (5-0, 1.25), who has allowed just two earned runs over 32 innings during a five-game winning streak.