From Maddie Lee: The inning could have — arguably should have — been over already. But instead, the Atlanta Braves’ Michael Harris II stood 90 feet away from scoring the go-ahead run.
And the Dodgers, who failed to take care of the little things Sunday night, handed the lead back to the Braves.
Left-handed reliever Kris Bubic lost control of a sweeper. And it flew high and outside, off the end of catcher Will Smith’s glove and to the edge of the grass behind home plate.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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Harris scored standing up. And the Dodgers trailed for the final five innings of Game 2 of the National League Division Series, ultimately a 3-2 loss, evening the series.
“We didn’t want to give in there,” said Bubic, who was trying to throw that slider for strike in a 2-and-0 count to Mauricio Dubón. “But that’s the last thing you want to do there.”
That wild pitch was one of many Dodgers missteps Sunday.
Dodgers need to fear the Braves 
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell reacts during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
From Bill Plaschke: It’s a Braves new world.
In a development as startling as tablecloths at a Waffle House, the Dodgers are in a country-fried quandary.
Nine innings from putting a headlock on the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division series Sunday, the Dodgers suddenly find themselves threatened with their own suffocation.
It was a gimme that turned into gotcha.
It was a game in which the Dodgers should have dominated and instead were disgraced.
It could be the last anybody around here sees of them until next spring.
When the sweltering night at Dodger Stadium began, the Dodgers were starting their two-time Cy Young winner against an anonymous and depleted Braves bullpen in an attempt to take a 2-0 lead and essentially put this best-of-five series to bed.
Swanson: Ailing Shohei Ohtani only providing a wasted at-bat for Dodgers in NLDS
Shaikin: Dodgers should be using Edwin Díaz as their closer moving forward
Rams defeat Eagles in comeback thriller 
Rams running back Kyren Williams scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
(Chris Szagola / Associated Press)
From Gary Klein: It’s rarely sunny in Philadelphia for Sean McVay and the Rams.
Before Sunday’s game against the Eagles, McVay was 1-6 against them, 1-4 at Lincoln Financial Field and 0-4 against Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
The last time the Rams visited here, the Eagles blocked a field-goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown on the final play.
And for much of the game Sunday, gloom once again engulfed McVay and a team that opened the season as a heavy Super Bowl favorite.
But it finally lifted midway through the fourth quarter, with quarterback Matthew Stafford leading two touchdown drives that gave the Rams a come-from-behind, 24-20 victory.
“A lot of gutsy efforts,” McVay said, “and I have a headache from hell right now.”
Chargers lose to Seahawks, fall to 0-4 
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is tackled by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV during the second half Sunday.
(Kevin Ng / Associated Press)
From Sam Farmer: Freakish start, familiar finish.
The first NFL game to open with back-to-back interceptions ended Sunday with another loss by the Chargers, who are 0-4 and still searching for answers.
The 30-23 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks didn’t feel as close as the final score suggests, as quarterback Justin Herbert took a beating — including some hits that were flagged — and now is surrounded by the walking wounded.
Not only were the Chargers without All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr., deactivated because of an ailing hamstring, but they now are also dealing with injuries to both starting tackles and No. 1 receiver Ladd McConkey.
The franchise is 0-4 for the first time since 2017, its first season back in Los Angeles, and there’s no indication this team will U-turn the way that one did.
Lakers’ Matisse Thybulle learning from teammates 
Lakers guard Matisse Thybulle speaks during a news conference on Sept. 28.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
From Broderick Turner: When Matisse Thybulle was asked what it has been like trying to defend offensive savants Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves during the Lakers training camp, he shook his head and smiled.
Thybulle was emphatic with his answer.
“I mean, you have to work soooo hard. They’re soooo talented,” Thybulle said, laughing. “And it’s just … I think for me it’s great because getting to play against two of the best offensive players in the NBA every day just primes you for — I think it primes all of us, but me specifically — just primes you for what to expect. And I think it was a big thing when you’re growing up that practice should be harder than the games. And I think in the NBA it’s a little different because you just have to pace yourself for such a long season. But guarding Luka and AR, practice is definitely going to be harder than the games.”
During the first four days of Lakers training camp, Thybulle was frequently listed as one of the players who has been a menace on defense.
Ducks win their home opener 
Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier celebrates with teammates after scoring during a 3-2 overtime win over the Florida Panthers at Honda Center on Sunday.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Cutter Gauthier scored two power-play goals and captain Mikael Granlund had a power-play goal 4:14 into overtime, sending the Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Sunday night and their 11th consecutive win in home openers.
Leo Carlsson had three assists for the Ducks, including the setup for Granlund’s winner in front of Jacob Markstrom.
Lukas Dostal made 29 saves for the Ducks, who have won their first two games following last season’s successful run to the second round of the playoffs, ending a seven-year postseason drought.
MLB postseason schedule
DIVISION SERIES
National League
No. 2 Dodgers vs. No. 3 Atlanta
at Dodgers 5, Atlanta 3 (box score)
Atlanta 3, at Dodgers 2 (box score)
Tuesday at Atlanta, 3 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
Wednesday at Atlanta, 3 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 4 San Diego
at Milwaukee 3, San Diego 2 (box score)
at Milwaukee 4, San Diego 3 (box score)
Tuesday at San Diego, 6:30 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Wednesday at San Diego, 7 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
*Friday at Milwaukee, 1:30 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
American League
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 4 New York
at Tampa Bay 1, New York 0 (box score)
Monday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Wednesday at New York, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Thursday at New York, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Saturday, Oct. 10 at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox 3, at Cleveland 0 (box score)
Monday at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
Wednesday at Chicago, 1 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Thursday at Chicago, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
*Saturday, Oct. 10 at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
NLCS starts Sunday, Oct. 11
ALCS starts Monday, Oct. 12
World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
This Day in Sports History
1900 — Britain’s Harry Vardon wins the U.S. Open golf title, beating J.H. Taylor with a 313 total at the Chicago Golf Club.
1985 — Eddie Robinson becomes college football’s winningest coach as Grambling beats Prairie View A&M 27-7. It’s Robinson’s 324th career victory, one more than Paul “Bear” Bryant had before he retired from Alabama after the 1982 season.
1991 — Fresno State ties an NCAA record for most points in a quarter, with 49 in the second period as it pounds New Mexico 94-17. Fresno State’s Derek Mahoney ties an NCAA record with 13 extra points.
1994 — The NBA shortens the 3-point distance to a uniform 22 feet.
1996 — Byron Hanspard rushes for 287 yards, his fifth straight 200-yard game this season, to lead Texas Tech to a 45-24 win over Baylor.
2001 — Barry Bonds sets a new mark for home runs in a single season, hitting Nos. 71 and 72, but San Francisco is eliminated from the playoffs with an 11-10 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2001 — The Mariners win their 115th game of the year to become the winningest team in American League history, passing the record the Yankees set three years earlier.
2004 — 7-time All-Star and 6-time NBA Champion forward Scottie Pippen announces his retirement from the NBA and the Chicago Bulls.
2005 — Daniel Alfredsson scores twice in the final 6 minutes of regulation and once during the first shootout in NHL history, leading Ottawa to a 3-2 win over Toronto.
2006 — Brendan Shanahan of the New York Rangers becomes the 15th player with 600 goals in the NHL when he scores twice in a 5-2 win over Washington.
2008 — Peyton Manning turns a colossal collapse by the Houston Texans into a stunning victory for the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts score 21 points in a late span of 2:10 — two touchdowns thanks to fumbles by Sage Rosenfels — then intercepts Rosenfels’ last-ditch comeback attempt for a 31-27 win.
2013 — Eighth-ranked Florida State stays undefeated in Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 63-0 victory over No. 25 Maryland. Maryland matches the largest losing margin by a ranked team. UCLA beat No. 11 Texas 66-3, on Sept. 13, 1997.
2013 — Marcus Mariota throws five touchdown passes and runs for two scores as No. 2 Oregon routs Colorado 57-16. The Ducks reach the 50-point plateau for a school record fifth straight time. Oregon have scored at least 55 points in all of its games under first-year coach Mark Helfrich.
2014 — Brian Hoyer’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin with 1:09 left rallies the Cleveland Browns from a 25-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 29-28. It’s the largest comeback in league history by a road team.
2014 — Denver’s Peyton Manning was 31 of 47 for a career-high 479 yards with four TDs, including the 500th of his career, along with two interceptions to help the Broncos beat Arizona 41-20.
2015 — San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres is hit with the longest suspension in NHL history when the league banned him for the first 41 games of the season for an illegal check to the head of Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg during an Oct. 3 preseason game.
2017 — Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Simmonds and Brandon Saad each record a hat trick in his team’s season opener. It’s the first time four different players score at least three goals in his season opener in 100 years, since the NHL’s first two games back in 1917.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.