Rosario homers twice, leads Braves to 3-1 NLCS lead over Dodgers

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Left fielder Eddie Rosario collected four hits, including two homers, to lead the Atlanta Braves to a Game 4 win and a 3-1 NLCS lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves are one win from a World Series berth.

Rosario drove in four runs and scored three times in the 9-2 win in Game 4 on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Game 5 is Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner injured his hamstring in the loss. He is expected to miss the rest of the postseason.

"I feel proud of my efforts," Rosario told reporters. "I came here wanting to showcase my talents [and] show the people what kind of player I am."

Braves outfielder Adam Duvall and first baseman Freddie Freeman also homered and drove in two runs apiece. The Dodgers totaled just four hits.

"Things have been going really well from a team standpoint," Freeman said. "It's hard to look at it and not say that this is a good team. It's fun to be a part of. We are a complete team going forward."

Neither team scored in the first inning. Rosario and Duvall started the second with back-to-back homers off Dodgers starter Julio Urias. Rosario's homer went 377 feet to left field. Duvall's solo shot went 410 feet to center field.

The Braves doubled their lead with two runs in the top of the third. Freeman smacked a 2-1 Urias fastball to right for a 407-foot solo shot to lead off the frame. Right fielder Joc Pederson drove in the other run with an RBI single.

Duvall drove in the Braves' fifth run with an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth.

The Dodgers didn't register their first hits until third baseman Justin Turner and first baseman Cody Bellinger hit back-to-back singles in the bottom of the fifth.

Outfielder A.J. Pollock put the Dodgers on the scoreboard when he plated Turner and Bellinger with a two-run single in the fifth at-bat of the half inning.

Freeman gave the Braves a 6-2 lead with an RBI ground-rule double in the top of the ninth. Rosario hit a three-run, 385-foot homer to right three at-bats later.

Rosario went 4 for 5 for the Braves. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud and Freeman collected two hits apiece in the win. Dodgers stars Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Trea Turner and Will Smith went a combined 0 for 15 at the plate.

Urias allowed eight hits and five runs in five innings.

"We just really didn't threaten," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "I don't have an answer, they just outplayed us in all facets."

The Dodgers host the Braves in Game 5 at 8:08 p.m. EDT Thursday at Dodger Stadium. The winner faces the Boston Red Sox or Houston Astros in the World Series.

The Astros beat the Red Sox 9-1 in Game 5 of the ALCS to take a 3-2 lead in that series Wednesday in Boston. Game 6 of the ALCS is at 8:08 p.m. EDT Friday in Houston.