By BETH HARRIS By BETH HARRIS ADVERTISING AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES — Carl Crawford hit a three-run homer, Juan Uribe added a two-run shot and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Atlanta Braves 13-6 on Sunday night for a
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES — Carl Crawford hit a three-run homer, Juan Uribe added a two-run shot and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Atlanta Braves 13-6 on Sunday night for a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five NL division series.
Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig each had three hits and scored three times on a big night at the plate for the Dodgers, who matched a franchise record for runs in a postseason game. Brooklyn beat the New York Yankees 13-8 in Game 2 of the 1956 World Series.
Los Angeles can advance to the NL championship series with a victory at home in Game 4 on Monday night. Ricky Nolasco pitches for manager Don Mattingly’s Dodgers against veteran Freddy Garcia.
Crawford made the play of the game when he tumbled head over heels at the low retaining wall in left field and onto his head to catch a foul ball in the eighth. The speedy leadoff man also scored three times, including once in the eighth when the Dodgers made it 13-4.
Chris Capuano won in relief of ineffective rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Los Angeles rallied in the third to regain the lead for good after Atlanta tied it in the top of the inning. After that, the Braves didn’t manage much besides Jason Heyward’s two-run homer in the ninth.
By then, it was way too late.
Atlanta starter Julio Teheran and Ryu both made inauspicious postseason debuts in the first matchup of rookie pitchers in the playoffs since 2007. Neither stayed around long.
In addition to being shaky on the mound, Ryu made two major mistakes in the field before giving way to Capuano, who spent most of the season in the rotation before moving to the bullpen.
With the Dodgers owning a six-run lead in their first home playoff game since 2009, fans waved their blue souvenir towels with one hand and made chopping motions with the other in mocking Atlanta’s trademark tomahawk chop.
Teheran took the loss, giving up six runs and eight hits in 2 2-3 innings. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out five, walked one and threw a wild pitch.
Ryu allowed four runs and six hits in three innings, becoming the first South Korean-born pitcher to start a postseason game in the major leagues.
Despite his rookie status, the left-hander brought a wealth of experience from his native country in becoming the first player to go from the Korean Baseball Organization to the majors. Besides his seven seasons in the KBO, he had pitched in the 2009 World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium as a reliever.
Atlanta got to him with two runs in the first during another of Ryu’s typically slow starts. Capuano came on to strike out three and walk three in three hitless innings.
Braves reliever Alex Wood gave up four runs — none earned — and three hits in 2 1-3 innings.
