Dodgers bullpen undone by offense’s shortcomings

Blake Snell's inability to get a rhythm at any point cost him in length if not in actual runs—the left-hander couldn't even get out of the fourth, leaving the Dodgers bullpen to cover 19 outs as they trailed 1-0. Snell's line could've been worse, but he had the bullpen to thank for keeping Atlanta at just one, as Brock Stewart was effective in a pivotal spot, retiring Ronald Acuña Jr. with two men on. Given where Snell was, having walked two in his final inning, it'd be no stretch to contemplate Acuña doing damage off him in that spot.

Unlike the Braves, who nearly rode the Didier Fuentes train all the way to a four-inning save, the Dodgers distributed their bullpen innings quite evenly. Roki Sasaki was the one of six relievers to cover more than just a single frame.

Through those 6.1 innings, Dodger relievers allowed a pair of runs, first on an unfortunate wild pitch by Kris Bubic with a runner on third, enough to score a run that would not have come in without it—a few innings later, with a two-out double from Michael Harris II off Edgardo Henríquez to drive in Matt Olson. It wasn't perfection, far from it, but Stewart, Evan Phillips, Edwin Díaz, and company were effective. If they deliver an outing such as this one whenever they're called upon earlier than usual and the team doesn't win, it is entirely down to the offense's shortcomings.