Brewers Topple Dodgers, Bring Wisconsin to World Series

The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 15, completing a four-game sweep and claiming the franchise’s first National League pennant. Milwaukee will host the World Series opener on Oct. 23, with Cleveland or Tampa Bay as its opponent.

A comeback against the defending champions

Los Angeles jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, but Milwaukee chipped away and eventually moved in front. Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer off Dustin May, sending the ball 428 feet at 113 mph. The four-time MVP raised his arms and yelled as 49,104 fans celebrated.

The Brewers answered in the fourth. Brice Turang walked, William Contreras hit a ground-rule double, and Jake Bauers followed with another ground-rule double that scored Contreras and Turang. Milwaukee had cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Brewers tied it in the fifth, as the Dodgers’ bullpen issued four walks and Milwaukee stole two bases. David Hamilton singled home Sal Frelick, then Alex Vesia walked Turang, Contreras and Bauers, forcing in Hamilton. Tyler Glasnow took the walk to Bauers after loading the bases before leaving the game.

Garrett Mitchell put Milwaukee ahead in the sixth with a 409-foot leadoff homer off Tanner Scott. It marked the first home run of Mitchell’s career on an 0-2 count. Mitchell had homered in Milwaukee’s 6-2 win Wednesday, too.

Relievers close out the sweep

Milwaukee’s bullpen faced a Dodgers threat in each of the final three innings. Winning pitcher JoJo Romero struck out Max Muncy with Kyle Tucker at third to end the sixth. In the seventh, Aaron Ashby struck out Ohtani and got Mookie Betts to ground out after Andy Pages doubled and advanced to third.

Will Smith reached third in the eighth after doubling and advancing on an error by Sal Frelick. Ashby then got Tucker to fly out and struck out Teoscar Hernández, leaving Smith stranded. The Dodgers had the tying run at third base in three straight innings.

Hamilton added an insurance run with a two-out solo homer off Edwin Díaz in the ninth. Ashby pitched three scoreless innings to earn the save. “Playing with that chip on our shoulder,” he said. “You don't ever know what to expect going into a series like that last year. You don't know how bad it can be, and then it was as bad as it was. And we came out and we survived, and we came back this year, and those guys played their tails off.”

Pennant brings the Brewers home

Milwaukee led the majors with 103 wins in the 162-game regular season. The roster was estimated at about $143 million, 19th in MLB. CNN reported that the Dodgers had the second-most-expensive roster. The Brewers’ bullpen allowed two runs in nearly 40 postseason innings, following a 3.40 regular-season ERA.

The Brewers’ only previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when they lost in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals while competing in the American League. The franchise has never won an MLB title.

Owner Mark Attanasio said the result mattered to the community and state: “It's so important for the community, the entire state of Wisconsin. We're standing on shoulders of Bud Selig and Bob Uecker.” Captain Christian Yelich said, “We're just happy for our fans, for everybody that's been a part of this organization and stuck with us over the years.”

Milwaukee has a week off before the World Series opener. Cleveland or Tampa Bay will meet the Brewers; reports published after Game 4 said the Guardians led the Rays 2-1 in the American League Championship Series. “I'm excited that we've got a few more games to play and get to go home with the fans and celebrate there, too,” Mitchell said.