Brewers' Bullpen and Soft-Contact Offense Force Dodgers to Elimination Spot in NLCS

Key points

• Milwaukee won 7-4, extending their postseason scoreless streak to 28 2/3 innings.
• William Contreras hit a 436-foot home run to tie the game in the fifth inning.
• The Dodgers' lineup went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position in Game 2.
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto lasted only 2 2/3 innings, his shortest postseason start.
• The series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Background

The Dodgers are attempting to become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series titles. The Brewers are chasing their first World Series appearance since 1982, when they were in the American League. Los Angeles last rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win a series in 2020, when they beat the Atlanta Braves in a seven-game NLCS before going on to win the World Series. The Dodgers were swept by Milwaukee in last year's NLCS.

How outlets are covering it

CBS Sports and the Associated Press emphasized the Brewers' bullpen dominance, noting that Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby combined to retire the last 15 Dodgers batters in order. Fox News highlighted the Brewers' 'BABIP machine,' arguing that their soft-contact offense and missed umpire calls were key to the victory, while questioning the sustainability of such performance. FanGraphs focused on the statistical improbability of the Brewers' success, noting that their high batting average on balls in play contradicts traditional metrics of hard-hit percentage. All sources agreed that the Dodgers' failure to secure a hit with runners in scoring position was a critical factor in their loss.

Why it matters

The 2-0 series lead puts the Dodgers in a precarious position, as they have only rallied from such a deficit once in the last decade. The Brewers' success challenges the narrative of the Dodgers as an unbeatable superteam, highlighting the importance of bullpen performance and situational hitting in postseason baseball. The outcome also raises questions about the sustainability of the Brewers' offensive approach and the Dodgers' ability to adjust in Game 3.

What to watch

The series moves to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday, where the Dodgers must overcome a historic deficit to avoid elimination. Robert Gasser is expected to start for Milwaukee, while Blake Snell is the Dodgers' likely starter. The Dodgers will need to improve their performance with runners in scoring position and limit the Brewers' bullpen to have a chance at getting back to the Fall Classic.