Dodgers advance to NLCS with 6-2 win over Braves

The Los Angeles Dodgers are one step closer to another pennant.

The Dodgers advanced to their third straight National League Championship Series on Monday by beating the Atlanta Braves 6-2.

Los Angeles will now battle the Milwaukee Brewers for the pennant in the NLCS, which is scheduled to begin on Friday at Miller Park.

After dropping a closely contested Game 3 to Atlanta on Sunday, the Dodgers made sure there would be no more drama in this series by pulling away in Game 4. Midseason acquisition David Freese drove in the winning run on a two-RBI single in the sixth inning. Manny Machado then put the series to bed with a loud three-run homer in the seventh, his second big fly of the series.

Dodgers starter Rich Hill allowed both Atlanta runs to score during his 4 2/3 innings of work, but five relievers picked him up down the stretch and limited the Braves to just two hits over the final frames. Closer Kenley Jansen worked a flawless ninth and struck out Freddie Freeman to end the series.

Braves rookie phenom Ronald Acuna Jr., meanwhile, was shut down at the plate one day after becoming the youngest player to hit a postseason grand slam. Acuna went 0-for-5 with a strikeout on Monday and finishes his playoff debut having hit just .188 over the four-game series.

For the Braves, Monday marked yet another disappointing end to one of their October runs. They've now lost their last nine postseason series, a streak that dates back to the 2001 NLCS.

Still, this year will go down as an otherwise terrific season for the young Braves, who stunned the baseball world by winning a surprise NL East crown only one year after losing 90 games.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, will now look to win its 23rd National League pennant, which would move the franchise into a tie with the San Francisco Giants for the most in league history.

The Dodgers and Brewers have never met in the playoffs.