Two League Championship Games on Thursday around Major League Baseball, potentially the last day of the season with at least two games. The Atlanta Braves visit the suddenly reborn Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS. The Dodgers, down 2-1 in the series after a stunning Game 3 comeback, will be home favorites on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Atlanta at Los Angeles MLB Odds & TV Info

• When: Wednesday, 8:08 PM ET
• Where: Dodger Stadium
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Max Fried or bullpen/Julio Urias
• TV: TBS
• Stream/gameday audio: TBS app
• Opening MLB Lines: TBA (Dodgers will be favored)

Why Bet on Atlanta?

Despite struggling mightily this series, Braves manager Brian Snitker kept former NL MVP Freddie Freeman in the No. 3 spot for Game 3 on Tuesday. The Braves have generally kept the same lineup through the series: Eddie Rosario LF, Freeman 1B, Ozzie Albies 2B, Austin Riley 3B, Joc Pederson RF, Adam Duvall CF, Travis d’Arnaud C, Dansby Swanson SS and then the pitcher.

Atlanta brought a 2-0 season lead to Los Angeles before losing Game 3 in dramatic fashion. The Braves won each of the first two games of this series despite being tied going to the ninth inning. The Braves were a major league-worst 1-12 (.077) in the regular season in such games. The next lowest winning percentage in these games was Arizona’s .316 (6-13).

The Braves have previously gone 2-0 in a postseason series 15 times in franchise history, and are 12-3 (.800) in these sets. They lost last season’s NLCS after going up 2-0 vs. the Dodgers, along with the 1996 World Series following a 2-0 lead. Their first such defeat came in the 1958 World Series.

The Braves are looking to avoid becoming the only team to blow four 2-0 leads in a best-of-seven series. The Dodgers and Yankees have also lost three series they led 2-0. The Braves went 46-35 (.568) away from Truist Park this regular season, tied for the fifth-best road record in the majors.

It’s expected to be either lefty Max Fried on the mound here or a bullpen game so Fried could be saved for Game 5 on extra rest. Fried logged a quality start in a no-decision against the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS last Saturday. allowing two runs on eight hits over six frames. The 27-year-old struck out five and didn’t walk a batter, throwing 60 of his 81 pitches for strikes. He allowed an RBI single to Chris Taylor in the second inning then served up a solo blast to Will Smith in the fourth.

He now boasts a 1.50 ERA and 0.92 WHIP over 12 innings in his two postseason starts. Fried was 14-7 with a 3.04 ERA in the regular season.

If it’s a bullpen game, it could be Huascar Ynoa going first. He was 4-6 with a 4.05 ERA this season. He has pitched one inning this postseason, allowing two runs in Game 4 of the NLDS vs. Milwaukee.

Why Bet on LA Dodgers?

The Dodgers trailed Game 3 by a score of 5-2 entering the bottom of the eighth on Tuesday but shockingly scored four runs to change this series – Cody Bellinger hit a three-run homer to tie it. Mookie Betts would score Chris Taylor on an RBI double for the eventual winning run.

Last year, the Dodgers trailed 0-2 and then 1-3 in the NLCS vs. Atlanta, before roaring back to win three consecutive games and the NL pennant. Los Angeles is playing in its sixth NLCS in the last nine years and fifth in the last six seasons.

The Dodgers ranked 17th in the Majors with 65 stolen bases during the regular season, but have swiped a Major League best 13 bags during the 2021 postseason. The Dodgers have stolen multiple bases in four straight postseason games, tied for the 2nd-longest streak in a single postseason (1995 Mariners, 1909 Pirates, 1908 Cubs).

Third baseman and postseason star Justin Turner was back is in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3 of the NLCS against on Tuesday. Turner has been dealing with a neck issue, though he was able to come off the bench in Game 2. LA’s full lineup for Game 3 and perhaps this one: Betts RF, Corey Seager SS, Trea Turner 2B, Will Smith C, Justin Turner 3B, Gavin Lux CF, Bellinger 1B, Chris Taylor LF and the pitcher.

It will be lefty Julio Urias on the mound, three days after appearing in relief for one inning in Game 2 in Atlanta on Sunday. Urias was called upon to protect a two-run lead against the Braves in the eighth inning and gave up a pair of runs to allow the Braves to tie the game. He only needed 14 pitches (12 strikes) to get through his inning.

Wednesday will be the fourth game for Urías in a 12-day span, though his longest appearance during that stretch was only 72 pitches and five innings. Pitching in relief is nothing new for Urías, with only four starts in his 21 career postseason appearances. In his stellar postseason run in 2020 — 1.17 ERA, 29 strikeouts in 23 innings — four of his six games were in relief, including closing out the NLCS and World Series.

Urias has been at his best in the postseason during the course of his career, going 7-2 with one save and 2.96 ERA (16 ER/48.2 IP) in 21 playoff games (four starts). He has limited opponents to a .189 average with a 0.88 WHIP.  In 16 postseason relief appearances, he is 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA (8 ER/28.1 IP) and a 0.71 WHIP.

Urias went 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA (3 ER/11.0 IP) and a 0.91 WHIP in two starts against the Braves this year. He has a 2-0 career record with a 1.80 ERA (3 ER/15.0 IP) in four games (two starts) in the regular season vs. Atlanta.

Expert Prediction

• Dodgers 4, Braves 3

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