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| Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado (8) watches his three-run home run during the 7th inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Monday at Suntrust Park in Atlanta. Photo by Paul Abell/UPI |
By Alex Butler, UPI
Slugging shortstop Manny Machado helped the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminate the Atlanta Braves from the postseason with a three-run homer in Game 4 of the NLDS.
Machado went yard in the top of the seventh inning of the 6-2 route on Monday at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. He finished the night 2-for-5 with four RBIs and a run scored for the Dodgers, who will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2018 NLCS.
"I faced [Chad Sobotka] the day before, so I had his slider in the back of my mind as well," Machado told reporters. "At that point I'm trying to drive in at least one run, and I was able to get one up in the air on a good pitch that he made and drive in three."
The Dodgers star also plated the first run of the bout, bringing in Max Muncy with an RBI double in the first inning.
Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki gave the home team its only advantage of the night with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fourth frame. But David Freese plated Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig for a 3-2 Dodgers lead in the top of the sixth frame and Los Angeles never lost that advantage.
Machado made sure of it with his 393-foot shot in the seventh inning. His blast to left field had an exit velocity of 109-mph, according to Statcast.
The Dodgers and Brewers begin the 2018 NLCS on Friday at Miller Park in Milwaukee.
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