Brewers 2, Dodgers 1: Small Ball Wins the Heavyweight Opener
A Brice Turang homer, a rookie's go-ahead single and a warning-track catch gave Milwaukee NLCS Game 1 — and ended a seven-game postseason losing streak against Los Angeles.
The first NLCS between two 100-win teams since 1976 opened exactly the way Milwaukee needed it to: tight, tense and decided by inches. The Brewers beat the Dodgers 2-1 in Game 1 at American Family Field on Sunday, snapping a seven-game postseason losing streak against Los Angeles that included last October's sweep, per the AP.
How the runs scored
Los Angeles struck first in the second inning when Andy Pages singled home Shohei Ohtani, and the frame could have been far worse — Jacob Misiorowski walked the bases loaded before escaping on an inning-ending double play. Brice Turang tied it in the fourth with an opposite-field homer off Tarik Skubal, and the go-ahead run in the fifth was pure Milwaukee: Garrett Mitchell walked, Cooper Pratt bunted him over, and 21-year-old rookie Luis Lara lined a first-pitch single to center, per MLB.com.
The escape
Four relievers carried it home, but not quietly. Closer Trevor Megill walked two in the ninth, bringing up Mookie Betts with the tying and go-ahead runs aboard. Betts drove one to deep center — and Mitchell ran it down at the warning track to end it in front of 42,617.
The Dodgers did plenty of damage to themselves: three double plays, nine runners stranded, and 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Where the series stands
Milwaukee didn't stop there. The Brewers took Game 2 on Monday 7-4 behind a three-RBI night from William Contreras, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto knocked out in the third inning, according to CBS Sports. The 103-win Brewers now lead 2-0 as the series shifts to Los Angeles, where the two-time defending champions suddenly need to solve a team that keeps winning games decided by two runs or fewer.