Mookie, Acu?a battle it out in wild opener

LOS ANGELES -- It would be hard to find a regular-season matchup that showcased as much talent on the field as Dodger Stadium did on Thursday night.

From here on out, the Braves and Dodgers, undoubtedly the two best teams in the National League, will battle it out for the top seed -- with the winner earning the chance to host a hypothetical Game 1 and 7 of a potential NLCS matchup.

A showdown between the two juggernauts also allowed fans to watch the top four candidates for NL MVP on the same field. And while Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson are certainly in the conversation, it was Mookie Betts (who went deep twice) and Ronald Acu?a Jr. (the first 30-60 player) who stole the show in the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss to the Braves in the opener.

With the loss, the Dodgers fell to five games behind the Braves for the top seed in the National League. The season series is also now tied at two games apiece, with three games remaining.

“You’re watching the game, you’re trying to win the game, but it’s hard not to watch those two guys go head to head,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “Fans, media, people want to see the best perform. To see what Ronald did and then to see how Mookie answered, it was good to see him respond like that.”

Acu?a got the showdown started in the second inning, smashing a grand slam off Dodgers right-hander Lance Lynn, who had his worst start since joining Los Angeles, allowing seven runs over 4 1/3 innings.

As Acu?a -- who became the first player in AL/NL history to record 30 homers and 60 stolen bases in the same season -- rounded third base, he pulled out an “Ice in My Veins” celebration that is often used in sports, particularly in basketball. Turns out, Betts is also pretty cold-blooded.

A few innings later, Betts made sure to remind the Braves -- and the rest of the baseball world -- that he’s arguably the frontrunner for NL MVP after one of the best months of his career. With the Dodgers trailing by six runs in the fifth, Betts cut the deficit in half, smacking a three-run homer off NL Cy Young contender Spencer Strider.

The homer was Betts’ 250th career blast and his 50th base hit in August, which matched the L.A. Dodgers' record for most hits in any month. In his next at-bat, Betts decided to update both of those numbers.

Betts jumped on the first pitch he saw from Joe Jiménez and skied it just over the wall in left field to record his 38th homer of the season, extending his career high. It was the sixth multi-homer game of the year for Betts, whose 51 hits in August are the most by a Dodger in any month since the team moved to Los Angeles.

“I’m not playing against Ronald Acu?a. I’m playing against the Braves. We’re trying to beat the Braves,” Betts said. “He’s great. Awesome person. Take absolutely nothing away from him. But I’m not playing against him.”

While Betts may be right, Acu?a might be the player standing between him and the second MVP trophy of his career. After keeping himself in the conversation most of the season, the Dodgers’ superstar took it to another level in August.

Aside from the 51 hits this month, Betts also hit .455 with 11 homers and 30 RBIs. He also came around to score 35 runs. When you look at the Dodgers’ 24-5 record in August, it largely started with Betts’ production. Overall, his 1.033 OPS leads the NL this season.

“I think he wants it bad,” Roberts said of Betts’ desire to win the MVP honors. “He’s driven by winning championships, but I do think that having the opportunity to be recognized as the Most Valuable Player in the National League is something that matters. I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with that.”

As Betts crossed home plate after his second homer of the night, the loudest MVP chants of the season broke out at Dodger Stadium.

Most people expect this Braves and Dodgers series to be a postseason preview, but rarely do these sorts of matchups live up to the hype.

Betts and Acu?a, though, made sure to exceed it -- and will be battling it out in more ways than one the rest of the way.

“[Betts] and I have a really nice relationship,” Acu?a said. “We talk whenever we get the chance. We talked a little today during the game. We’ll see how the MVP race turns out.”