It looked like the reining National League Cy Young could be the one to issue the dominant Los Angeles Dodgers their first blemish of the 2025 season, but clutch heroics and a surplus of talent allowed the 2024 World Series champions to stay perfect and beat the Atlanta Braves, 3-1.
A Mookie Betts error put the NL East ballclub on top 1-0 in the second inning, but the shortstop redeemed himself in the sixth. He belted a two-run home run off southpaw Chris Sale, the superstar's third go-ahead blast in his last four games. Will Smith extended the lead with an RBI single, and the shockingly frigid Braves did not get back on the scoreboard for the rest of the night.
Right-handed pitcher Dustin May made his first start in almost two years, allowing just a single hit, striking out six batters and recording three walks in five innings. Dodger Stadium warmly embraced the 27-year-old, who underwent flexor tendon surgery and tore his esophagus over the last couple of challenging years. May's triumphant return helped LA achieve remarkable MLB history.
The Dodgers are now 7-0 this year, matching the Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig-led 1933 New York Yankees for the best start ever by a defending champ. What is even more noteworthy is that Los Angeles has beaten a team expected to compete for a divisional title in the Chicago Cubs and two 2024 playoff clubs in the Detroit Tigers and Braves. Thus far, the endless hype surrounding this franchise has been validated.
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Dodgers are meeting the sky-high standard set for them
Dave Roberts' boys will try to sweep Atlanta on Wednesday night before heading east for a six-game road trip against the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals. Keep in mind that three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani is not even pitching yet. That's right, the Dodgers' ceiling should get even higher.
Their deferral-heavy and super-team nature is drawing the public's ire, and their relentless brilliance is utterly stumping opponents. Seizing the crown is one thing, but keeping away usurpers is possibly the most difficult feat to achieve in professional sports. LA is not breaking much of a sweat seven games in, though.
