The Atlanta Braves' struggles at Dodger Stadium continued Friday night, falling 3-1 in a frustrating series opener that felt all too familiar. Despite generating scoring chances in nearly every inning, the Braves couldn't capitalize, finishing 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 men on base.

The lone bright spot came in the second inning when Austin Riley lined a single up the middle to score Michael Harris Jr., giving Atlanta an early 1-0 lead. But the momentum was short-lived. Back-to-back strikeouts from Mike Yastrzemski and Jim Jarvis quickly extinguished the threat, leaving Braves fans wondering what might have been.

Los Angeles wasted no time answering. Kyle Tucker tied the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the second, and Shohei Ohtani put the Dodgers ahead 2-1 with a single in the fifth. Former Brave Freddie Freeman delivered the dagger in the sixth, launching a solo homer to make it 3-1. From there, the Dodgers' bullpen shut the door.

Chris Sale deserved a much better outcome. The veteran left-hander was sharp over seven innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk while scattering five hits. One of the three runs he allowed was unearned, thanks to a wild throw from Jarvis that allowed the go-ahead run to score. Aaron Bummer provided a glimmer of hope with a clean eighth inning against the heart of LA's lineup.

The series continues Saturday night, and all eyes will be on Spencer Strider. The flamethrower needed 80-plus pitches to record just 10 outs in his season debut, raising questions about his efficiency. He'll face Blake Snell, who makes his season debut a bit earlier than anticipated and may be on a limited pitch count. First pitch is set for 9:10 p.m. ET.