Dodgers @ Braves

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Dodgers (106-56)

@ Atlanta Braves (88-73

Starting Pitchers:

Buehler (LAD): 0-0; 4.91 ERA

Anderson (ATL) 0-0; 6.00 ERA

Current odds:

Los Angeles Dodgers: (-145)

Atlanta Braves: (+135)

• For a fifth time in two seasons, the Atlanta Braves will take the field knowing that one victory will launch them into their first World Series in over two decades, although on Saturday they finally will have a distinct advantage. The Braves will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series with the home crowd behind them, giving them hope that they can finally find a nine-inning formula to reach the Fall Classic for the first time since 1999.

• A 3-1 lead in the NLCS over the Dodgers last season gave the Braves three chances to advance. But Los Angeles dispatched all of those Atlanta chances, doing it in the neutral-site setting of Arlington, Texas.

• Thursday’s potential NLCS clincher against the Dodgers took place at Los Angeles, and while it looked promising with an early Freddie Freeman home run, the opportunity fizzled. The Dodgers’ Chris Taylor hit three home runs, while AJ Pollock added a pair as Los Angeles rolled to the 11-2 victory.

• The Braves say they’re ready this time. They aren’t about to fret about who might have momentum, not when they won the first two games of the series in dramatic fashion, only to see the Dodgers do the same in Game 3. And it’s not like the Braves’ big 9-2 victory in Game 4 bled over into Game 5.

• Even Freeman wouldn’t discount the possibility of a Game 7, not in a series like this. Anderson takes the mound after giving up two runs on three hits over three innings in Game 2 of the series. He also gave up two runs over three innings in a Game 7 start against the Dodgers last season.

• Los Angeles was expected to counter with Max Scherzer, but the ace right-hander was scratched from the start. Scherzer gave up two runs over 4 1/3 innings of Game 2 on Sunday and said afterward that his arm was “dead.” In his absence, the Dodgers will turn to Walker Buehler on short rest. He initially was slated to start a potential Game 7 in the series. Buehler came back on short rest to pitch Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the San Francisco Giants, and he turned in 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball as the Dodgers posted a 7-2 victory to force a decisive fifth game, which they won.

• The Dodgers have won seven consecutive playoff elimination games going back to last year’s NLCS and looked like the far more comfortable team in Game 5. Since the last weekend of the regular season, they have lost Clayton Kershaw, Max Muncy, Justin Turner and Kelly to injury, yet they keep surviving.