Braves Beat Dodgers to Win Game 3 of NLDS Behind Ronald Acuna Jr. Grand Slam

With their backs against the wall, the Atlanta Braves have extended the National League Division Series after earning a 6-5 Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday at SunTrust Park.

Ronald Acuna Jr. blew the game open with a second-inning grand slam, but when the Dodgers fought back to turn a 5-0 deficit into a 5-5 tie, Freddie Freeman came through with the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning.

The Braves entered the day down 2-0 in the best-of-five series but kept their season alive with the dramatic win and cut the series deficit to 2-1.

Braves Bullpen Bails Out Another Poor Start

Starting pitching isn't everything in the postseason, but you still need more than what the Braves players have provided.

Sean Newcomb got the start Sunday and allowed two runs (one earned) in 2.2 innings. Kevin Gausman was effectively a second starter and gave up two runs while also allowing his inherited runs to score.

The good news is the bullpen—the players who usually spend time working in relief—did everything they could to give the Braves a chance to win.

Touki Toussaint, Chad Sobotka, A.J. Minter and Arodys Vizcaino each threw one scoreless inning out of the bullpen, combining to allow just three hits in four innings. Vizcaino struck out three to close things out after allowing two to reach base.

Although it might be a surprise for anyone who watched this team during the regular season, the bullpen has been the Braves' strength so far this series.

Mike Foltynewicz and Anibal Sanchez each failed to get out of the fifth inning in their starts, combing to allow seven earned runs in just 6.2 innings. On the other hand, the bullpen gave up only one run in 9.1 innings over the first two games.

Vizcaino and the rest of the relievers don't always make things easy, but they have been effective so far and they are a major reason the Braves are still alive in the postseason.

Considering the struggles over the course of the year—the team ranked 10th in the NL in bullpen ERA—a better start in Game 4 could go a long way toward putting everyone at ease.

Braves Will Need Production from Veterans to Advance

The story of the Braves season has been the young stars producing highlight-reel plays and eye-popping numbers for their age. This was seen in Game 3 as Acuna had the biggest swing of the entire day.

The 20-year-old became the youngest ever to hit a postseason Grand Slam with this second-inning shot:

The problem with young players in general, however, is they are often inconsistent and are unproven in big moments.

Jason Foster of Sporting News broke down the problems:

Atlanta couldn't get much going in back-to-back shutouts to begin the series, and as soon as the team went up five runs in Game 3, it shut down once again. Whether it was lack of focus or overconfidence, it didn't seem as though the Braves were going to score again the rest of the day after the early surge.

This was until Freeman came through with the go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning:

Unlike much of the roster, Freeman has been around the majors for years and had postseason experience before this week. While others might have been panicking, the 29-year-old remained calm and came through with his biggest hit of the season.

While Acuna, Ozzie Albies and others gain more headlines, the Braves have several veterans who can make a difference like Nick Markakis, Kurt Suzuki and even Ender Inciarte. If Atlanta is going to keep winning games, it will need these guys as much if not more than the young guns.

Dodgers' Depth, Experience Will Lead to NLDS Series Win

Even if things didn't work out in Game 3, not a lot of teams would be able to overcome a 5-0 deficit in the second inning and pull even. Some squads would mail it in and look ahead to Game 4, while others would press too much and try to hit five-run home runs all game.

However, the Dodgers got one hit at a time before evening the score, providing plenty of confidence for future games.

This is the sixth straight year this organization has been in the playoffs, and most of the roster played in the World Series last season. The players have faced all obstacles and know they can overcome nearly anything.

Meanwhile, the physical prowess of the Dodgers was just as obvious Sunday as the team's mental advantage.

The Dodgers came into the playoffs with significantly more depth than the Braves and arguably anyone else in the majors, and this made a major impact in Game 3.

Three different players—Chris Taylor, Matt Kemp and David Freese—made their first starts of the series as manager Dave Roberts tried to counter the lefty starter. Taylor made his presence felt with a two-run home run that got his team back in the game:

This also allowed the Dodgers to bring in some of their best hitters off the bench when it mattered most, including Max Muncy:

Ryan Flaherty hit .217 this season while Muncy was one of the best power hitters in the NL. He then came through with a game-tying home run in the fifth.

Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson and Brian Dozier also all got on base as pinch hitters in Game 3.

Having matchups that can hurt you throughout a game will help the Dodgers come through with at least one more win this postseason and likely several more.

What's Next?

The Dodgers still have an advantage in the series and will get another chance to close things out in Atlanta on Monday at 4:30 p.m. ET. Rich Hill and Mike Foltynewicz are expected to start Game 4.