Braves 7, Dodgers 2: Strider Shuts Down L.A. as Snell Takes Early Damage

The lead

May 9, 2026 - Los Angeles - The Atlanta Braves finally flipped the script at Dodger Stadium. Spencer Strider (1-0) cruised through six scoreless innings, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson each drove in two runs against Blake Snell in his 2026 debut, and Atlanta beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 on Saturday night, per the Associated Press recap on CBS Sports.

The Braves had dropped eight straight at Chavez Ravine before the opener of this set.

How the game turned

Snell (0-1), activated from a left shoulder fatigue issue that delayed his season, escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first while allowing only one run—then watched the second inning unravel. Atlanta loaded the bases again and pushed the lead to 5-0 on Albies’s two-run single and Olson’s two-run single, the inning that effectively decided the night.

Snell departed after three innings, 77 pitches, four earned runs, six hits, and two walks with five strikeouts—well short of the five-inning hope Los Angeles outlined when accelerating his return.

Strider kept the line moving with zeros: Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, and Drake Baldwin each added an RBI as Atlanta built cushion without needing late-inning chaos.

Pitching and matchup notes

Andy Pages spoiled the shutout with a two-run homer in the ninth for Los Angeles—small consolation on a night the home crowd had already absorbed the early punches.

Pregame, both clubs observed a moment of silence for longtime Braves skipper Bobby Cox, who died Saturday, and former owner Ted Turner, who died earlier in the week, per AP.

Bats that changed the board

Albies’s stretched swing on the two-run single and Olson’s follow-up knock turned traffic into a crooked number the Dodgers never matched. Riley’s RBI and the outfield production from Harris and Baldwin spread the damage across the order rather than relying on one hero swing.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

Atlanta posted 15 AthX Engine team FP on May 9, matching the Rangers for the day’s tier just behind the biggest offensive eruptions. Strider’s scoreless length still moves pitching boards even when the headlines belong to the early rally against Snell. AthX Engine differs from dynamic pricing.

What comes next

Bryce Elder and Justin Wrobleski were lined up for Sunday as the Braves chase a road-series win and the Dodgers look to stabilize behind a rotation finding its shape.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB gameday wrap, CBS Sports recap, Associated Press via CBS, and AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*