Minor Leads Braves Past Dodgers 4-3, Series Tied

ATLANTA (AP) – Mike Minor pitched six strong innings, Jason Heyward had a two-run single and the Atlanta Braves held on for a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night, evening the NL division series at one game apiece.

The Braves turned three double plays, the most important coming to end a Dodgers threat in the seventh with Atlanta clinging to a 2-1 lead. Luis Avilan got it started by backhanding Carl Crawford’s grounder to the mound.

Hanley Ramirez drove in all three Dodgers runs with a first-inning double and a two-run homer in the eighth, just clearing the wall after a one-handed swing off David Carpenter.

Craig Kimbrel walked two in the ninth but fanned Crawford for the save. Backup catcher Gerald Laird helped, too, throwing out pinch-runner Dee Gordon in a close play at second base.

Game 3 in the best-of-five series is Sunday at Dodger Stadium.