Major League Baseball

MLB Playoffs top plays: Braves top Dodgers in Game 6, advance to World Series

Updated Oct. 23, 2021 11:57 p.m. ET

This time, the Atlanta Braves shut the door on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their reward? Their first trip to the World Series since 1999.

Eddie Rosario hit a three-run home run and the Braves received gutsy pitching from Ian Anderson and Tyler Matzek, beating the Dodgers 4-2 in Game 6 of the NLCS on Saturday night.

Rosario was named NLCS MVP for Atlanta, which won the series 4-2 and will face the Houston Astros in the World Series, beginning with Game 1 on Tuesday (8:09 p.m. ET on FOX).

The victory takes away the bitter taste of last year's NLCS when Atlanta blew a 3-1 series lead to these same Dodgers. It also ended L.A.'s streak of seven straight wins when facing elimination.

Here are the highlights from Saturday:

Atlanta Braves 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 2 (Atlanta wins series 4-2)

Walker Buehler started on short rest for the Dodgers, as Max Scherzer did not feel ready to go. Scherzer was set to start Game 7 if the series had gone that far.

Buehler had a rough start to the game, allowing three hits in the first inning. The first of them was by Rosario, continuing his dominance of the NLCS.

Rosario was erased when Freddie Freeman hit into a double play. But the Braves later went up 1-0 on an RBI-double by Austin Riley.

On the other side, Braves starter Anderson worked around a double by A.J. Pollock to hold the Dodgers scoreless through the first three innings.

The Dodgers tied it up in the top of the fourth. Trea Turner walked, reached second on a single by Will Smith and scored when Cody Bellinger slapped a shift-beater into left field.

But the Braves struck back in a big way in the bottom of the fourth, grabbing a 4-1 lead on a three-run home run by Rosario.

Rosario would be named MVP of the NLCS.

The Braves threatened to add on in the bottom of the sixth inning, loading the bases on three consecutive walks by Alex Vesia. But Blake Treinen came in and struck out Riley to keep the score 4-1.

The Dodgers battled in the top of the seventh. Chris Taylor nearly hit another home run, settling for a double off the wall to lead off the inning. Bellinger followed with a walk, then Pollock drove in Taylor with a double down the line.

But Matzek shut down the rally, striking out Albert Pujols, Steven Souza and Mookie Betts to end the threat.

Braves closer Will Smith shut down the Dodgers in the ninth, and the celebration began.