The Milwaukee Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the National League Championship Series and reach the World Series for the first time in 44 years. The Dodgers failed to win a single game in the best-of-seven NLCS, ending their bid for a third consecutive World Series title. Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer but could not save Los Angeles.
Milwaukee rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the 16th.
By winning all four games in the series, Milwaukee secured its first World Series berth since 1982.
Starting on the 24th, the Brewers will face the winner of the American League Championship Series in the best-of-seven World Series. Milwaukee, which lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the 1982 World Series, will be seeking the first championship in franchise history.
The Brewers also avenged their four-game sweep by the Dodgers in last year’s NLCS just one year later.
With their season on the line, the Dodgers appeared poised to mount a comeback after Ohtani’s three-run homer, but their bullpen faltered, bringing their postseason run to an end.
The Dodgers took control early. Andy Pages broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single in the second inning, and Ohtani followed with a three-run homer with two outs and runners on first and second, giving Los Angeles a 4-0 lead.
Ohtani, who had been mired in a severe hitting slump, homered for the first time in 58 days, since a two-run shot against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 19.
Milwaukee responded with a disciplined offensive approach. Jake Bauers got the rally started with a two-run double in the top of the fourth inning, with one out and runners on second and third.
In the fifth, the Brewers took advantage of the Dodgers’ pitchers’ control problems to tie the game.
Sal Frelick drew a walk, stole second and scored on David Hamilton’s RBI single. Walks to Brice Turang and William Contreras loaded the bases, and Bauers drew a bases-loaded walk against reliever Alex Vesia to make it 4-4.
After shifting the momentum, Milwaukee took the lead in the top of the sixth when Garrett Mitchell hit a solo home run. Hamilton added another solo shot in the ninth to seal the victory.
The Dodgers had opportunities with a runner on third and one out in both the seventh and eighth innings, but key hitters including Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández failed to deliver.
Ohtani, who started as the leadoff designated hitter, homered in his second plate appearance but struck out in each of his other three at-bats.