The Milwaukee Brewers have drawn first blood in the National League Championship Series (NLCS), edging out the Los Angeles Dodgers in a nail-biting opener.
On Monday, the Brewers clinched a 2-1 victory over the Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) NLCS at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
After being swept by the Dodgers in last year’s Championship Series, the Brewers have now seized home-field advantage, putting themselves in the driver’s seat for a World Series berth.
The two powerhouses will lock horns again on October 13 at the same venue.
The Dodgers struck first in the top of the second inning when Andy Pahes delivered a clutch run-batted in (RBI) single with runners on first and second.
The Brewers answered back in the bottom of the fourth as leadoff hitter Brice Turang crushed a solo shot off Dodgers starter Tarik Skubal to even the score. Milwaukee then took the lead in the fifth when Luis Lara came through with a go-ahead RBI single.
Despite failing to add insurance runs, the Brewers’ bullpen slammed the door shut on the Dodgers’ offense, preserving the slim lead and securing a crucial win.
Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski battled through 4⅓ innings, allowing just one run before handing it over to the bullpen. Four relievers combined for 4⅔ scoreless innings to seal the deal.
Offensively, leadoff man Jackson Chourio sparked the lineup with a multi-hit performance, while Turang and Lara provided the crucial RBIs to propel the Brewers to victory.
Dodgers starter Skubal took the loss after surrendering two runs in five innings of work.
The Dodgers’ bats were largely silenced, with only Teoscar Hernández managing multiple hits. The rest of the lineup struggled to solve the Brewers’ pitching, ultimately falling short in their comeback bid.
Shohei Ohtani, serving as the designated hitter, went 1-for-3 with a hit, a walk, and a run scored in his NLCS debut for the Dodgers.