National Sports

Early finish lets Dodgers unleash pitching power vs. Milwaukee

ATLANTA -- Finishing off the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NL Division Series meant more to the Los Angeles Dodgers than avoiding a winner-take-all Game 5.

By ending the series Wednesday night with a 4-1 victory, the Dodgers will have extra time to reset their rotation, bullpen and struggling slugger Shohei Ohtani for the Championship Series opening game Sunday.

“It’s important. It was very important,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Once you get to an elimination game, a Game 5 or a Game 7, anything can happen. And to be able to win today, get back, reset, have a day off tomorrow, set the rotation, it’s huge.”

The extra rest means Tarik Skubal likely will be the choice to start Sunday against Milwaukee instead of handling a Game 5 against the Braves. Similarly, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow will be well rested for their expected NLCS starts.

Infielder Miguel Rojas may need the extra rest for a sore lower back that kept him out Wednesday night.

Also, Edwin Díaz will have ample time to reset after recording saves on back-to-back days to close out the series against Atlanta. The ninth-inning work showed Díaz is re-established as the closer.

“The team trusts me,” Díaz said. “I think that was the most important thing for me, the team trusts me. They give me the ball every single day. And the last two nights it’s been amazing. That’s why I came here to win games and close games like this one. So I’m really happy right now.”

Despite those advantages, Roberts is preparing for a tough NLCS as the Dodgers try to move closer to their goal of becoming the first NL team to win three consecutive World Series.

“We’ve got our work cut out,” Roberts said, adding extra rest also will be important for such players as Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

Ohtani was 2 for 13 against Atlanta and hasn’t homered since Aug. 18 while dealing with injuries to his right biceps, left knee and neck that have also kept the two-way player off the mound.

Díaz pitched a perfect ninth inning in the clinching win. The on-field celebration was a low-key affair, but Roberts and his players, wearing “Take October” T-shirts and goggles to protect their eyes, soon were drenched with champagne.