Brewers Edge Dodgers 2-1 to Open NLCS
The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 on Sunday night, Oct. 11, to take Game 1 of the National League Championship Series in Milwaukee. It was a one-run start to a best-of-seven playoff series that sends the winner to the World Series. The announced crowd was 42,617. The Guardian
Milwaukee struck first in the fourth inning. Brice Turang led off against Dodgers starter Tarik Skubal and drove a fly ball to left-center field for a home run.
The ball traveled 384 feet, according to the game tracking. It came on a 95.5-mph sinker, a fastball that dives down late, with a spin rate of 2201 rpm. MLB.com
The Dodgers tied it. Then the Brewers answered in the fifth.
Rookie Luis Lara lined an RBI single to center off Skubal, a hit that drove in a run. Garrett Mitchell scored from second for a 2-1 lead Milwaukee never gave back. ESPN
Skubal went five innings and allowed two runs. Milwaukee led 2-1 through six, and the bullpen did the rest.
The Brewers' relievers shut down Los Angeles over the final innings. Closer Trevor Megill recorded the last three outs for the save, the job of finishing a close win, and got Mookie Betts to fly out to end it.
Los Angeles had chances. The Dodgers grounded into three double plays, the defense getting two outs on one grounder. They stranded nine runners and went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position, meaning a hit with a man on second or third.
The numbers show how tight the margin was. One swing broke the tie. Three grounders erased rallies.
What makes this stand out is the history on both sides. This is the first NLCS matching two 100-win teams since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies. Milwaukee had lost seven straight postseason games to Los Angeles, including a sweep in last year's NLCS.
The stakes are high for both clubs. The Brewers are one of five current major league teams that have never won the World Series. The Dodgers are trying to become the first team to win three straight titles since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
Turang set the tone. He entered the night hitting .270 with 37 doubles, three triples and 21 home runs on the season.
Game 2 is scheduled for Monday in Milwaukee. Los Angeles is set to start Yoshinobu Yamamoto against Milwaukee's Logan Henderson.
