The Milwaukee Brewers entered the National League Championship Series with confidence and momentum after finishing the regular season as the NL’s top seed. But just two games into their clash with the Los Angeles Dodgers, that momentum has vanished.
The Brewers are down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series and now face the daunting task of turning things around on the road in Los Angeles.
Game 1 saw former Cy Young winner Blake Snell completely neutralize Milwaukee’s offense, throwing eight shutout innings while allowing only one hit and racking up 10 strikeouts. Game 2 didn’t go much better for the Brewers.
Although rookie Jackson Chourio gave Milwaukee a jolt with a leadoff home run, that would be their only run of the night. Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto responded by pitching a complete game, allowing just three hits in total and retiring the Brewers in dominant fashion.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy didn’t shy away from criticism of his team’s performance after the Game 2 loss. Known during the regular season for their discipline at the plate and league-low chase rates, the Brewers looked uncharacteristically aggressive against LA’s elite pitching.
“We chased way more than we’ve chased all year,” Murphy told reporters. “These pitchers brought out the worst in us.”
Even Milwaukee’s veteran stars echoed the sentiment. Christian Yelich, when asked about Yamamoto‘s showing, simply said, “He’s phenomenal.” And the numbers back it up, as after two games, the Brewers have just four hits and two runs total.
Can the Brewers bounce back in LA?
With the series now moving to Dodger Stadium for Games 3 and 4, the Brewers have little room for error. If they don’t find a way to solve the Dodgers‘ pitching and produce offensively, their season could end without another game being played in Milwaukee.
Game 3 is set for Thursday, followed by Game 4 on Friday. Should the Brewers manage a win, Game 5 would be played Saturday in LA. Only then would the series return to Milwaukee for a possible Game 6 or 7.
Despite the uphill battle, Murphy is not ready to count his team out. “You guys might have counted us out… this team has been counted out. It has fight left in them,” he said.
His words reflect the spirit of a club that battled its way to the top seed and now needs to channel that same grit to stay alive.
For Milwaukee, the key will be regaining their plate discipline and making adjustments against LA’s formidable rotation. If they can rediscover the approach that made them so dangerous throughout the season, they still have a chance. But the margin for error is now razor thin.
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