With almost all of their players back on the diamond, the Los Angeles Dodgers face the battle for the National League pennant against the Milwaukee Brewers. After defeating the powerful Phillies, Dave Roberts’ boys face the new duel between illusion and skepticism, because it has been more than a year since they have managed to win a game against their current rival.
Incredibly, the Dodgers have been dominated by the Brewers in eight straight meetings, their third-worst streak against a team this century. Only the Diamondbacks (11 straight wins between 2017 and 2018) and the Cardinals (10 straight wins between 2005 and 2007) had done more damage to the Angels than Milwaukee from 2000 to date.
The Dodgers’ last victory over the Brewers came on August 13, 2024, at American Family Field. That day Will Smith, Shohei Ohtani, Gavin Lux and Andy Pages hit home runs, while Gavin Stone and Landon Knack combined to cover the entire route from the mound and score the 7-2 victory.
It has been 426 days since then, with eight straight losses for the Angels, who in that span have allowed 42 runs and nine home runs against the Brewers’ offense. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has limited the Dodgers’ artillery to 24 runs, with just six home runs and a 2.22 ERA in 73 innings.
Six of Milwaukee’s wins came in July this year and in four of them they allowed two or fewer runs, including a shutout with a combined effort by Quinn Priester, Abner Uribe, Jared Koening and Trevor Megill.
To continue on their way to a second consecutive World Series, the Dodgers will have to break this negative streak in the National League Championship Series that begins Monday at the Brewers.
They reached this stage after defeating the Phillies 3-1 in the Division Series, while Milwaukee did the same against the Cubs, although in a closer duel that went to five games.
Read the full article here
