ATLANTA (AP) — Kiké Hernández is no stranger to postseason success.
The veteran Dodgers utilityman took advantage of his first start in these playoffs and delivered the key blow in Los Angeles' 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Tuesday night.
Hernández, playing third base and batting ninth, hit a two-run homer off Braves ace Chris Sale in the fourth inning that opened the scoring and gave the Dodgers a lead they never relinquished. Los Angeles leads the best-of-five series 2-1 and has a chance to advance to the National League Championship Series on Wednesday.
Hernández said he was trying to make sure he didn't hit into a double play with a runner on first and one out so he could turn over the lineup to leadoff man Mookie Betts. Sale threw a changeup for a ball on the first pitch.
“He kind of showed me where that changeup was going to start for a ball, and then the next pitch, kind of like my eyes recognized, it popped, and lucky that (I) put a good swing on it,” Hernández said.
Sale felt he did what he could against the Dodgers lineup, but regretted that delivery to Hernández.
“Really only one pitch I would take back from that entire outing,” said Sale, who went five innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. “This was a game of adjustments. They seem like they made the adjustment. They were battling, but again, just one swing changed the whole trajectory of that game.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is well aware of the success Hernández has had in October.
“I said earlier, we needed a little bit of that Kiké dust,” Roberts said. “He’s always prepared. And he loves moments like this. He has a way to lock in.”
It was the 17th postseason homer for Hernández in 104 games, which would put him on a 26-home run pace over 162 games. In his 13-year career, his home run rate comes out to 16 per 162 games.
According to OptaStats, Hernández is the only player in MLB history to have at least 10% of his career home runs come in the postseason (with a minimum of 100 home runs). The next-highest mark is held by Houston Astros star Jose Altuve.
Hernández has a career OPS of .706 in the regular season and .826 in the postseason. He has 12 postseason homers for the Dodgers, which ranks fourth in franchise history.
“It’s something I take a lot of pride in, but don’t really think about it too much,” Hernández said. “That’s probably something that once I’m done playing, it's going to be something that’s going to look back and be really proud of my career because of how my career has gone in terms of finding myself each and every year in October, and experience helps a lot.”
Sale and Hernández last faced each other in the postseason during the 2018 World Series between the Dodgers and Red Sox. Sale came on in the ninth inning of Game 5 and struck out the side, including Hernández, to lock up the championship for Boston.
Hernández wasn't ready to say Tuesday's home run served as revenge for that night.
“Dude, I mean, that was eight years ago,” he said. “(Sale) made JT (Justin Turner), myself and Manny (Machado) look like Little Leaguers going against a big leaguer. So no, that’s not something that I’ve even thought about ever since that happened. I played with (Sale). We’ve gone through a lot together in terms of health. He’s aging like fine wine. He’s gone on to win his first Cy Young past his mid-30s. He’s winning Gold Gloves and everything. No, I was not thinking about that. I am just glad that I was able to put a good swing on a pitch to give us the lead.”
Freddie Freeman, who homered two batters after Hernández, said he's open to any advice from the player he called a “Swiss Army knife” when it comes to postseason success.
“I’ll wait for him to explain it so then we can maybe take a little bit from him,” Freeman said.
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández celebrates his two-run home run during the fourth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández celebrates his two-run home run during the fourth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández follows through on a two-run home run as Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) and umpire James Hoye look on during the fourth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
ATLANTA (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto felt trust from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts when he remained in a crucial NL Division Series game after a stressful fifth inning.
“I’d like to continue living up to the highest expectation,” Yamamoto said through a translator.
The right-hander from Japan continues to do more than just meet expectations in the postseason.
Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven brilliant innings, Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer and the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series.
Yamamoto dominated his much-anticipated matchup with Atlanta ace Chris Sale, who allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. Last year's World Series MVP permitted only four hits and one walk while improving to 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career postseason outings, including 10 starts.
His 10 strikeouts were a postseason high for him.
“I was confident and able to control all my pitches today,” Yamamoto said.
The Dodgers can clinch the best-of-five series and take another step toward becoming the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series by beating the Braves again Wednesday night in Game 4.
Atlanta hoped giving Sale extra rest would be a winning formula in the pivotal third game. Instead, after stranding six runners in the first three innings, he gave up the two-run homer to Hernández and a solo shot to former Braves star Freddie Freeman in the fourth.
“He was still touching 100 (mph),” manager Walt Weiss said of Sale. “The stuff was fine. Like I said, maybe the command not perfect. It wasn’t bad. But they did a nice job against him.”
That was all the offensive support Yamamoto and relievers Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz would need.
Ozzie Albies opened the Atlanta ninth with a double off the right-center wall against Díaz and moved to third on Michael Harris II's groundout. Díaz stranded the runner and earned a save when Mauricio Dubón fouled out to right field and Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to shortstop Mookie Betts.
Freeman said he didn't mind being booed by Atlanta fans in the sellout crowd of 42,420.
“I’ve got a gray uniform on,” Freeman said. “I expect boos. It’s OK. ... It’s all love. I still love everybody here and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Dubón made a leaping catch over the left-field wall to rob Freeman of a home run in the third. Freeman wouldn't be denied an inning later. Hernández's homer to left drove in Andy Pages, who singled. One out later, Freeman pulled his 18th career postseason homer to right field for a 3-0 lead.
Roberts moved designated hitter Shohei Ohtani down to No. 5 in the lineup because Ohtani was 3 for 15 in his career against Sale. Ohtani went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts against Sale when the Dodgers lost 1-0 on Aug. 26 in Atlanta.
Roberts correctly predicted Ohtani would have opportunities with runners on base hitting lower in the order.
With runners on first and second in the first, Sale struck out Ohtani to end the inning. With two runners on base in the third, Ohtani reached on catcher's interference by Drake Baldwin to load the bases before Miguel Rojas ended the inning with a flyball to right field. Ohtani walked to lead off the eighth against Brent Suter, Atlanta's fourth pitcher.
Baldwin's bases-loaded grounder to first base drove in Dubón, who singled, in the fifth for Atlanta's only run.
Rojas left during an at-bat in the eighth. The second baseman appeared to injure his back on a swing and was replaced by Tommy Edman. The Dodgers announced the injury as lower back pain.
Roberts said Rojas probably won't start on Wednesday and his availability off the bench will be determined before the game.
“I give him credit for conceding that at-bat,” Roberts said.
Weiss made a late change, moving Ronald Acuña Jr. from right field to designated hitter. Weiss said Acuña jammed his knee on a slide in Game 2. Acuña remained in the game but the knee was sore on Tuesday, leading to the lineup change.
Roberts now has 71 career postseason wins, tying Tony La Russa for second-most in major league history. Joe Torre is first with 84.
Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle is expected to face Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Mahle said Tuesday an abdominal pull is now a “non-issue.” He felt the pull before allowing one run in seven innings of a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia in 10 innings during the NL Wild Card Series last week.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Atlanta Braves left fielder Mauricio Dubón (14) climbs the wall to catch a fly out by Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman as the Dodgers bullpen look on during the third inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández connects for a two-run home run during the fourth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández celebrates his two-run home run during the fourth inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws to the Atlanta Braves during the third inning in Game 3 of baseball's National League Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
