Iconic moments in LA-ATL playoff history

ATLANTA -- Hank Aaron had great memories of those years when he, Eddie Mathews and the Milwaukee Braves would travel to California to be challenged by the Dodgers’ iconic pitching duo of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

While the Braves and Dodgers shared some good battles when they were both members of the National League West, their most recent memorable encounters have occurred within postseason matchups.

As Atlanta and Los Angeles prepare to compete in the NL Championship Series for a second straight year, here is a look back at the best moments from past playoff matchups:

• Dodgers-Braves Game 1 FAQ

1996 NLDS Game 1
Braves 2, Dodgers 1 (10 innings)

Javy Lopez settled an impressive pitchers' duel with a 10th-inning home run off Antonio Osuna. Lopez’s solo shot backed John Smoltz, who scattered four hits and allowed one run over nine innings. Dodgers starter Ramon Martinez allowed one run over eight frames.

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2013 NLDS Game 1
Dodgers 6, Braves 1

Clayton Kershaw recorded 12 strikeouts and allowed just one run over seven innings. Kershaw highlighted his strong effort by striking out six consecutive batters from the fourth through the sixth innings. Those six strikeouts tied an MLB record Tim Belcher set while pitching for the Dodgers in Game 2 of the 1988 NLCS.

2013 NLDS Game 4
Dodgers 4, Braves 3

Juan Uribe’s go-ahead, two-run homer off David Carpenter in the eighth inning made Dodger Stadium shake. Jose Constanza’s RBI single in the seventh gave the Braves a short-lived lead. Freddy Garcia, who signed with Atlanta near the end of August, had been in line to win his start against Kershaw, who allowed two unearned runs over six innings.

2018 NLDS Game 3
Braves 6, Dodgers 5

Ronald Acuña Jr. became the youngest player to hit a grand slam in postseason history. The then-20-year-old outfielder’s second-inning slam off Walker Buehler incited one of the loudest roars in Truist Park’s brief history.

2018 NLDS Game 3
Braves 6, Dodgers 5

While Acuña’s grand slam was more memorable, the decisive homer was the solo shot Freddie Freeman hit off former Braves teammate Alex Wood in the sixth inning. And after putting two on with nobody out in the ninth inning, Arodys Vizcaíno recorded three straight strikeouts for the save.

2020 NLCS Game 1
Braves 5, Dodgers 1

Austin Riley’s leadoff homer off Blake Treinen fueled a four-run ninth that gave the Braves a win in the series opener. Ozzie Albies would hit a two-run homer off Jake McGee later in the inning.

2020 NLCS Game 3
Dodgers 15, Braves 3

Joc Pederson’s three-run shot off Kyle Wright was the first of three home runs the Dodgers tallied during an 11-run first inning. Edwin Ríos and Max Muncy also homered during what stands as the highest-scoring inning in postseason history.

2020 NLCS Game 5
Dodgers 7, Braves 3

Dodgers catcher Will Smith’s go-ahead, three-run home run off Braves lefty Will Smith with two outs in the sixth inning seemed to be the series-altering moment. The Braves entered Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead.

2020 NLCS Game 7
Dodgers 4, Braves 3

Cody Bellinger’s decisive seventh-inning homer off Chris Martin allowed the Dodgers to complete an impressive series comeback. The Braves jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Game 7, but they never led after A.J. Minter surrendered Kiké Hernández’s game-tying homer in the sixth.