Bellinger HR lifts Dodgers past Braves

ARLINGTON, TEXAS » Cody Bellinger hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to the World Series for the third time in four years by topping the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night.

Bellinger connected an inning after KikéHernández became the first pinch hitter with a game-tying or go-ahead homer in a winner-take-all-game. His homer tied it at 3 and, like Bellinger’s, came on the eighth pitch of the at-bat.

The Dodgers, who matched an LCS record with 16 homers, overcame a 3-1 series deficit by winning three consecutive games when facing elimination for only the second time in their storied history.

After winning both their NL Division Series and the NLCS in the new $1.2 billion Globe Life Field, the Dodgers get to stay in place for the World Series. Game 1 against the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays is Tuesday night.

The Dodgers again will try to win their first World Series title since 1998. They lost Game 7 at home three years ago to the Houston Astros, and then lost in five games to the Boston Red Sox in 2018 when Mookie Betts was

the AL MVP and playing against Los Angeles.

TampaBay’swin inGame 7 of the ALCS late Saturday night wiped out the chance for anOctober rematchwith the Astros, whose 2017World Series victory over theDodgers has been heavily tarnished by the revelations of Houston’s sign-stealing tactics that season.

Betts, the first- year Dodger signed for 12 more years, made another incredible defensive play, robbing

NL MVP candidate Freddie Freeman of a solo homer in the fifth.

JulioUrias, the fifthDodgers pitcher, retired the last nine batters for his fourth win in four appearances this postseason. The 24-year-old right-hander, already in his fourth postseason, has a 0.57 ERA in these playoffs.

Themassive shot to right by reigning NL MVP and 2018 NLCS MVP Bellinger cameona94-mph sinker after fouling off three pitches in a row by Chris Martin, the fifth Braves pitcher who started the seventh with strikeouts of Max Muncy andWill Smith.

TONY GUTIERREZ — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger celebrates his home run with Enrique Hernandez against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning in Game 7 of a baseball National League Championship Series on Sunday, in Arlington, Texas.

DAVID J. PHILLIP — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Los Angeles Dodgers’MaxMuncy scores past Atlanta Braves catcherTravis d’Arnaud on a single byWillSmith during the third inning in Game 7of a baseball National LeagueChampionship Series on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.