Blake Snell delivered a masterclass on the mound, allowing just one baserunner over eight shutout innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers held off a late rally to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 in Game 1 of the 2025 National League Championship Series (NLCS) on Monday night.
The Dodgers struggled but held on for a very important win
Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, struck out 10 and walked none, giving up only one hit – a third-inning single by Caleb Durbin. His dominant performance set the tone for the defending World Series champions, who took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The drama peaked in the ninth when Roki Sasaki, entering in relief, nearly let the game slip away. After a walk and a ground-rule double, Milwaukee cut the lead to one on Jackson Chourio’s sacrifice fly. With the bases loaded, Dave Roberts called on Blake Treinen, who struck out Brice Turang on a high fastball to end the game and preserve the win.
Freddie Freeman broke a scoreless tie with a towering solo homer in the sixth inning off Chad Patrick, barely clearing the right-field wall at American Family Field. The Dodgers added an insurance run in the ninth when Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk against Abner Uribe – a run that proved crucial as the Brewers mounted their final-inning threat.
Milwaukee’s defense produced one of the most bizarre double plays in MLB postseason history. In the fourth inning, with the bases loaded, Max Muncy hit a drive that nearly became a grand slam before Sal Frelick made a juggling catch off the top of the center-field wall. The play turned into an 8-6-2 double play that stunned the Dodgers’ dugout.
Despite Snell’s brilliance, the Brewers had previously dominated the Dodgers in the regular season, sweeping all six matchups in July while Snell was sidelined with shoulder inflammation. Monday’s performance underscored just how pivotal his presence is for Los Angeles.
Game 2 is set for Tuesday night, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the mound for the Dodgers against Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta in a matchup of All-Star pitchers.
This NLCS also highlights the contrast between the two clubs – the small-market Brewers chasing their first-ever World Series title against the high-spending Dodgers, owners of MLB’s most expensive roster.
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