The Brewers wasted no time seizing the opening edge in the National League Championship Series, and they did it the way they’ve built so much of this run: by getting timely hits, a big swing from Brice Turang and another lockdown effort from the bullpen.
Milwaukee edged the Dodgers, 2-1, on Sunday night in a game that stayed tight from start to finish. Jacob Misiorowski got the ball for the Brewers, while Tarik Skubal took the mound for Los Angeles, and the low-scoring feel never really left. The Brewers came through with just enough offense, then turned the rest over to a relief corps that once again slammed the door.
Turang was one of the biggest difference-makers. After a rough NLDS against the San Diego Padres, when he went 2-for-16 with three strikeouts, one stolen base and two walks, he looked much more like himself in Game 1. He tied the score in the fourth inning with a homer off Skubal, giving Milwaukee its first run of the night.
He didn’t stop there. Turang was also sharp on defense all night, including a play in which he robbed Mookie Betts of a hit. For a Brewers team looking for momentum, that’s the kind of version of Turang that changes the tone of a series.
The rookie in the lineup also delivered. He was in there because the left-handed Skubal was starting, and that move paid off when Luis Lara punched a single up the middle in the fifth inning to bring home what ended up being the winning run.
Misiorowski lasted 4 1/3 innings before turning things over, and Milwaukee’s bullpen handled the rest. The relievers covered 4 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed only two hits, another reminder of how sturdy that group has been.
Skubal did his part for Los Angeles in a solid outing, even in defeat. He worked five innings, gave up two runs and struck out seven, but he still ended up taking the loss in Game 1. During the summer, he had even been connected to the Brewers as a possible trade piece before landing with the Dodgers, but that storyline now comes with Milwaukee holding the early series lead.
The Dodgers also didn’t get much from Smith and Hernandez at the plate. The two combined to go 0-for-6 in Game 1, and both have had a tough time during the playoffs. Smith is slashing .053/.100/.053, while Hernandez is hitting .111/.111/.444.
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Brice Turang Gave The Brewers Exactly What This NLCS Opener Needed
The NLCS opener had the feel Milwaukee needed from the start: tight pitching, clean defense, and a crowd that kept leaning into every small break. Brice Turang was in the middle of all of it, helping the Brewers stay attached in a game where run prevention mattered almost as much as run scoring, and where one sharp play or one well-timed swing could change the entire mood.
Turang supplied both. His defense helped Milwaukee navigate an early jam and keep the deficit from growing, then he came through with the kind of home run that can tilt a playoff game and settle a dugout. With the bullpen backing him up and the atmosphere building around him, the Brewers had exactly the sort of jolt they were hoping for in a series opener like this, even if the full impact of that night was still left to be decided. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Won Their Way But One NLCS Concern Just Got Bigger
The Brewers opened the National League Championship Series with exactly the kind of tense, low-scoring win they needed, slipping past the Dodgers 2-1 in Game 1. Jacob Misiorowski did not have his cleanest night, but Milwaukees bullpen picked up the slack with 4 2/3 scoreless innings, and the defense helped steady everything with three double plays as the Brewers kept the game from getting away.
Misiorowskis fastball was not fooling enough hitters, and the shortened outing only sharpens the attention on how Milwaukee will handle the rest of this series. The Brewers won the opener anyway, which is the important part, but against a lineup like Los Angeles, they will need more than run prevention and clean gloves if the concern around their young starter grows into a bigger issue. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy Sounds All In On Jackson Chourios October Moment
As the Brewers turn their attention to the Dodgers, Pat Murphy made it clear that Jackson Chourio has been one of the defining reasons Milwaukee has been able to keep its October run alive. The left fielder has stood out for the kind of all-around impact that matters most this time of year, with Murphy pointing to his steady defense, consistent approach and knack for coming through when the pressure rises.
Chourio has also given Milwaukee needed production at the plate in the postseason, becoming a central part of the offense in key moments. His work so far has already changed the feel of the Brewers October, and with a matchup like this one looming, the attention on what he can do next only figures to grow. [Read more 🡒]