Freeman's 3-run homer helps Dodgers to 9-0 win, dropping Braves out of playoff position

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Atlanta 9-0 on Monday night, dropping the Braves out of a playoff position.

Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 with a walk and a pair of run-scoring grounders that increased his RBIs total to 108. He did not hit a home run or steal a base during the series, remaining at 47 home runs and 48 steals as he tries to become the first 50-50 player.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed four hits and two walks in four innings, throwing 72 pitches in his second start since returning from a right arm injury — up from 59 on Sept. 10.

“We've tried to take our time with him and make sure he is at full health and built him up the right way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It is a shot in the arm and he knows how valuable he is to our club. These last two starts, I feel like we have a good foundation and we are almost to the point where we can just let him go.”

The Dodgers extended their scoreless streak to 15 innings and pitched their 13th shutout.

NL West-leading Los Angeles (89-61) maintained a 3 1/2-game lead over second place San Diego. The Dodgers scored nine runs on just four hits for the second time since 1906: The other was on June 4, 2021, also at Atlanta.

After losing the first two games of the series by a combined 16-3, the Dodgers outscored the Braves 18-2 over the last two.

“When you start off a series like this at the end of the year and you want to play well and drop the first two, to come back and respond, I thought that was big by the team,” Freeman said. “I’ve played a long time and that was probably one of the weirdest offensive games I’ve been a part of.”

Atlanta (81-69) dropped one game behind the New York Mets (82-68) for the NL's third wild card spot. The Braves were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 10 against Yamamoto.

Los Angeles took advantage of seven walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Miguel Rojas was 1 for 1 with two walks, a steal and three runs scored.

“He really exemplifies what I expect in a ballplayer,” Roberts said. “Tonight, he won a ballgame for us.”

Max Fried (9-10) gave up three runs and two hits in six innings

Fried threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first after Rojas walked, advanced on a grounder and stole third. Rojas' run-scoring single and Ohtani's RBI grounder boosted the lead to 3-0 in the fifth.

Freeman capped a six-run seventh with his 22nd homer after Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández drove in runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: C Austin Barnes was placed on the 10-day IL with a left big toe fracture. C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder inflammation) rejoined the team in Atlanta and could be activated while the team is in Miami this week.

Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) is scheduled to play second base for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday. If that goes well, he could rejoin the Braves in Miami on Friday.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 8.17) will open a three-game series in Miami on Tuesday night against Marlins RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.06), starting a stretch of six games against last-place teams.

Braves: Rookie RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.49) faces Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (0-0, 2.08) to start a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches a pitch go by called strike in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, tags second base before Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia, right, can get the ball in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani checks the scoreboard from the dugout in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches the scoreboard before his turn at bat in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman swings in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman celebrates in the dugout after hitting three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills' patchwork group of receivers is getting a boost, with the team acquiring Amari Cooper in a trade with the Cleveland Browns, both teams announced on Tuesday.

Buffalo gave up a third-round pick in the 2025 draft as part of the trade that also included a swap of late-round picks. Buffalo also acquired a 2025 sixth-round draft pick and sent Cleveland a 2026 seventh-round pick in a trade, which came a day after the Bills (4-2) expanded their lead atop the AFC East with a 23-20 win over their division rival New York Jets (2-4).

The 30-year-old Cooper is in his 10th season and third in Cleveland, where he and the rest of the offense have struggled under quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Cooper has 24 catches on 53 targets for 250 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in a 21-15 loss to the New York Giants in Week 3. He’s been limited to 12 catches for 137 yards in his past three outings.

In Buffalo, he joins a Josh Allen-led offense that lacks proven receiving threat after the team traded Stefon Diggs to Houston in the offseason and lost No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis in free agency. The decision to move on from Diggs and Davis were made as part of the Bills overall bid to fix their payroll and free up salary cap space beyond this season.

Cooper is in the final year of his contract, which he restructured last summer.

Khalil Shakir, the only receiver to return on the roster, leads the team with 20 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns. The receiver group is rounded out by mostly journeymen in Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdez-Scantling and rookie Keon Coleman.

The deal also comes hours after the Jets upgraded their offense by acquiring receiver Davante Adams in a trade with Las Vegas.

“We appreciate Amari’s hard work, professionalism and on-field contributions throughout his two-plus seasons with us,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said. "He created many memorable moments with us and was an integral part of our 2023 playoff team. We wish him the best in Buffalo as he continues his NFL career.”

The Browns’ decision to trade one of their top players could be a sign that the team has given up on a season growing worse by the week. Cleveland (1-5) dropped its fourth straight game following a 20-16 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.

Acquired by Cleveland in a 2022 trade from the Dallas Cowboys, Cooper had been one of the team’s leaders and best players, gaining more than 1,100 yards receiving the past two seasons.

However, the past few months have been odd for the dependable veteran.

He skipped minicamp in a contract holdout before the Browns re-worked the final year of his contract. Cooper was then the subject of rampant trade rumors — mostly involving San Francisco — before the buzz quieted down in recent weeks. Cooper hasn’t been the same on the field, either, dropping several passes that have contributed to Watson’s struggles.

Cooper opened his career with the Oakland Raiders and has topped 1,000 yards receiving seven times.

AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland, Ohio, contributed to this report.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper looks on before an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)