Acuna hits another home run and successfully steals another base, Fried shuts down the Dodgers as the Braves secure their fifth consecutive victory with a score of 6-3.

The Atlanta Braves have not experienced much regular-season triumph at Dodger Stadium since 2014. They relied on Max Fried, a local talent, to alter that.

Fried pitched seven scoreless innings at the stadium, which is approximately 15 miles away from his former high school. The Braves triumphed over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 6-3 victory on Friday night, marking their fifth consecutive win.

Ronald Acuña Jr., a recently married athlete, achieved his 31st home run and 63rd stolen base, contributing to the Braves’ record of 19-37 in 56 regular-season games in LA over the past nine years.

Fried is finally back to his normal self after coming back on Aug. 4 from a period of being injured for 60 days due to a strained forearm.

“I definitely had moments where I felt like I was just going through the motions and not fully engaged in making precise pitches and winning the game, unlike today,” he expressed. “It was definitely a wake-up call, and I intend to use this experience as a catalyst for improvement.”

Fried managed to strike out six out of the initial eight batters he faced. It wasn’t until the third inning that the Dodgers finally got their first hit, which came from Miguel Rojas with two outs. The Dodgers didn’t have a runner advance to second base until there were two outs in the seventh inning.

PHOTOS: Acuña homers and steals another base, Fried stifles Dodgers and Braves win 5th in a row, 6-3

“He appeared as his usual self,” expressed catcher Travis d’Arnaud when referring to Fried. “He seemed at ease, so I believe he is in the optimal position.”

Fried (6-1) allowed three hits, including singles to Freddie Freeman and Amed Rosario, struck out a season-high 10 and walked two. It was the left-hander’s fourth career game with double-digit strikeouts and first since Aug. 30, 2019, against the Chicago White Sox.

Fried is getting back into shape with only one month remaining in the regular season. Following a 90-day break due to his injury, his arm is now rested and ready for a possible extended playoff journey.

“I have not pitched many innings, which is quite advantageous,” he stated. “However, my main goal is to refine my skills, enhance my performance, and ensure that I maintain the same level of excellence I have displayed in the past. Today’s progress feels promising.”

The Braves, with a record of 89-45, are currently leading the Dodgers (83-51) by six games. This puts them in the top position for the best record in the major leagues and gives them the opportunity to have home-field advantage throughout the postseason. In their recent game, Atlanta had an impressive 14 hits, resulting in the Dodgers experiencing back-to-back losses for the first time since July.

Acuña once again demonstrated his skills one night, following his wedding earlier in the day. In the evening, he achieved a remarkable feat in baseball by becoming the first player to hit 30 home runs and steal 60 bases in a single season.

He went deep leading off the third inning against Julio Urías (11-8), flexing his muscles as the 418-foot shot landed beyond the center-field fence. In the fifth, Acuña doubled leading off, stole third and scored on Austin Riley’s double off the bullpen gate in right. It was his 10th game with a steal and a homer, which leads the majors.

In the second consecutive game, Acuña outperformed his rival NL MVP contender, Mookie Betts. Betts, who had a batting average of .455 in August, had no hits in three at-bats and struck out at the beginning of September before being substituted in the eighth inning.

Kirby Yates pitched the ninth to earn his third save.

D’Arnaud hit a home run in the second inning, while Marcell Ozuna started off the fourth inning with his 32nd homer.

In the fifth inning, Ozuna contributed with a short RBI single and then doubled at the beginning of the eighth. He crossed home plate thanks to Eddie Rosario’s single, extending their lead to 6-0.

After Betts and Freeman were replaced by pinch-hitters, the Dodgers made a comeback in the eighth inning, scoring three runs.

“I have never been satisfied with only scoring six runs,” expressed Braves manager Brian Snitker. “They remain a constant threat as long as they have an opportunity to bat, as we witnessed.”

In his first game with the Dodgers, Kolten Wong made an impactful appearance by hitting a three-run home run as a pinch hitter, reducing their disadvantage to 6-3. Following a walk by Will Smith and a single by Amed Rosario against Pierce Johnson, Chris Taylor had the chance to tie the game. However, he struck out against Michael Tonkin.

Acuña raced in to make a knee-high catch for the second out of the ninth.

In his second consecutive loss, Urías allowed five runs and nine hits during his five innings on the mound. The left-handed pitcher managed to strike out four batters while walking two.

In the second inning, Eddie Rosario attempted to steal home but was unsuccessful. Urías made a throw that hit the ground, but catcher Will Smith managed to catch it with one hand and tag Rosario, preventing him from scoring.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: All-Star catcher Sean Murphy got the night off.

Dodgers: DH J.D. Martinez (groin) will play a couple of rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City starting Sunday and is on track to rejoin the team in Washington next week. … RHP Joe Kelly (forearm) threw a 20-pitch bullpen, using all his pitches and touching the mid-90s on the radar gun.

DULL DAY

Snitker joked that Friday was “a dull day” after Acuña surprised the team by secretly getting married hours before the series opener.

“I observed photographs. It appeared to be a delightful event. Attractive individuals in their youth exchanging vows,” Snitker remarked, before playfully adding, “I simply trust they appreciate the candle holders I purchased for them.”

LAKERS NIGHT

Natalia Bryant, the daughter of Kobe Bryant, had the honor of throwing the first pitch during a special event celebrating the Lakers franchise, where her father had a prominent role.

The student from the University of Southern California, who is 20 years old, threw the ball while standing in front of the mound. After bouncing once, the ball was caught by Betts, who was responsible for catching.

UP NEXT

RHP Bryce Elder (11-4, 3.50 ERA) starts for the Braves on Saturday. The Dodgers are likely to either start RHP Emmet Sheehan (3-1, 5.63) or use him for bulk innings. He just returned for his second stint with the team.