ATLANTA - Freddie Freeman was smiling after his long, emotional day at Truist Park.
At the end of a night that included a lot of tears, the Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman was happy because he felt good about showing his appreciation to fans of his former team and playing well for his new team.
Trea Turner had three hits, including a home run, and Freeman reached base three times Friday in his return to Atlanta as the Dodgers beat the Braves 4-1 in a rematch of the past two National League Championship Series.
"I'm exhausted, emotionally exhausted, but what a wonderful evening for my family," Freeman said.
Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson exited in the eighth inning with what manager Dave Roberts said is a season-ending left knee injury. Roberts said the 35-year-old right-hander tore his anterior cruciate ligament.
The loss of Hudson takes away a top setup man for the NL West Division leaders. Hudson, who has five saves and a 2.22 ERA this year, fell to the ground while attempting to react to a dribbler hit by Ronald Acuña Jr., who reached on the infield single.
The Dodgers had already received bad news about their pitching staff before the game, when left-hander Andrew Heaney was placed on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation.
Freeman received standing ovations from the sellout crowd of 42,105 before the game and again before his first at-bat. The former longtime Braves star had a sixth-inning single, walked twice and scored two runs.
"It's hard to describe how I felt in that moment," Freeman said of the first ovation. "Just a lot of love."
Freeman was presented his 2021 World Series ring by Braves manager Brian Snitker in a pregame ceremony. The slugger tipped his cap and raised his arms to the crowd and said he was also careful to spend as much time as possible signing autographs before the game.
Freeman hit a homer in his first reunion game, a 7-4 win over the Braves in Los Angeles on April 18. The Dodgers won two of three in that series.
Dodgers left-hander Julio Urías (5-6) handed the Braves just their fourth loss in June, allowing one run on three hits with nine strikeouts in six innings.
"We know how good they are," Urías said through a translator. "We know how potent their offense can be. We went out with a plan and executed it."
Snitker said he was impressed Urías "never quit pitching" even when he began to tire in the sixth.
The Braves, who remained four games behind the first-place New York Mets in the NL East, fell to 18-4 this month.
Trea Turner led off the game with a single and scored on Will Smith's single. Freeman walked and scored on Justin Turner's sacrifice fly, also in the first.
Trea Turner hit his 10th homer of the season in the fifth, giving him three hits for the second consecutive game.
Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP, was overcome with emotion in a pregame news conference as he said: "I love the Braves organization with all my heart. That will never change."
He also said didn't know how he was "going to get through this weekend."
The five-time All-Star signed a $162 million, six-year deal with the Dodgers in the offseason after he was unable to reach an agreement with the Braves, who selected him in the second round of the 2007 MLB draft. He was a September callup for Atlanta in 2010, then took over as a starter the following season.
"I did all right," Freeman said of his first game back. "I'll take three times on base and two runs scored. ... The best thing that happened was walking in that first at-bat."
The Braves loaded the bases against Urías in the sixth. Acuña reached on an infield hit, moved to third on Dansby Swanson's bloop single and scored on Matt Olson's sacrifice fly. Urías struck out Marcell Ozuna to end the inning.
Right-hander Brusdar Graterol, who replaced Hudson in the eighth, stranded Acuña on third base when Austin Riley hit into a double play.
Olson, Freeman's replacement, led off the bottom of the ninth with his second hit of the game. Los Angeles closer Craig Kimbrel, who began his MLB career with the Braves more than a decade ago, recovered with three quick outs to earn his 13th save in 14 chances this season, his first with the Dodgers.
Roberts said he wasn't surprised by Freeman's declaration of his continued love for the Braves.
"I think it's something that Freddie long awaited," he said. "Everyone here adores him. I still know he'll be ready to play a baseball game."
When he saw the large group of reporters before the game, Snitker joked, "is something going on?" The manager has had other ring ceremonies for returning players, including the San Francisco Giants' Joc Pederson earlier this week.
"I'm happy just like I'm happy for all the guys we've given them to," Snitker said of Freeman.
Braves right-hander Ian Anderson (6-4) struggled with his control as he allowed four runs in four-plus innings and was handed his first loss since May 22. Anderson had six strikeouts with four walks, and 40 of his 88 pitches were balls.
Snitker said Anderson was "just a little scattered" while giving up two runs on two hits and two walks in the first.
"I was just hoping to get another inning out of him," Snitker said.
Right-hander Reyes Moronta was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City after Heaney was placed on the injured list. Right-hander Mitch White (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will be recalled to start Saturday night's game, when the Braves will counter with lefty Max Fried (7-2, 2.77).
Roberts said Heaney felt soreness in his shoulder while throwing in the bullpen Thursday and will be shut down for a few days.
"I don't foresee it being long," Roberts added.