The title defense for the Los Angeles Dodgers got off to the right start on Saturday thanks to a strong effort from starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, who helped his club defeat the Atlanta Braves by a 5-3 final score during a brutally hot day at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers have taken a 1-0 lead in the National League Divisional series, as they hope they’ll eventually win a third straight World Series title.
The Braves were shorthanded, as they were without left fielder Lane Thomas, though he could potentially return for Sunday’s Game 2. But before the opening contest, the former member of the Kansas City Royals had something to say to Skubal.
Braves Outfielder Lane Thomas Had A Message For Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Tarik Skubal
Having faced Skubal multiple times while with the Royals when Skubal was with the Detroit Tigers, Thomas lauded the command on his fastball along with his control.
“You don’t see a guy who throws so hard consistently with that much control,” Thomas said. “It seems like he has really good command of his fastball. He’s got three, I feel like, pretty plus pitches. I don’t know if righties have a ton of success off him either.
“I liked competing against him those last few years [in the AL Central together], and it’s cool to see him.”
Whether or not Thomas gets the chance to face down Skubal later on in this series remains to be seen.
The Dodgers Have A 1-0 Series Lead Over The Braves
The Dodgers picked up a 5-3 win over the Braves on Saturday, getting a strong start from Skubal and home runs from Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy.
Skubal worked six innings in triple-digit heat, keeping Atlanta’s lineup in check and giving Los Angeles the early advantage.
As manager Dave Roberts would say afterward, the key to the series is winning the first game.
“To win Game 1 is certainly important, very important,” Roberts said. “We could have deployed our starters any way we wanted, but to have Blake [Snell] going tomorrow, to follow up with what Tarik did today, and knowing that you’ve got [Yoshinobu Yamamoto] in the holster for Game 3, we’re in a good spot. It all starts with winning Game 1.”
Game 2 will be played on Sunday starting at 8:00 p.m.ET.
Braves’ Lane Thomas Has Message For Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal