LOS ANGELES -- After 44 years, the Milwaukee Brewers are finally going back to the World Series.
Propelled by a lockdown bullpen and repeated comebacks, the young and fearless Brewers swept the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers out of the playoffs Thursday with a 6-4 victory in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
“We weren’t coming in to play patty-cake," manager Pat Murphy said. “We were hungry, and as long as it’s an even playing field, we’re going to come in and give it our best shot to win. That’s exactly what we did.”
Garrett Mitchell hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning and Milwaukee’s brilliant relievers slammed the door late, giving a vocal contingent of Brewers fans their chance to celebrate in the Dodger Stadium stands.
Now, the Brewers get an opportunity to win their first title after topping the majors with 103 wins during the regular season. Milwaukee has a week off before hosting Cleveland or Tampa Bay in the World Series opener on Oct. 23.
“I’m excited that we've got a few more games to play and get to go home with the fans and celebrate there, too,” Mitchell said.
Shohei Ohtani’s first home run this postseason helped put the Dodgers ahead 4-0 in the second inning before the Brewers came back to complete a four-game sweep.
No. 9 hitter David Hamilton’s two-out solo shot off Edwin Díaz gave Milwaukee a two-run cushion in the ninth. Hamilton had just four homers in the regular season.
“We got down early tonight and we were like, it’s going to be a great story,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “We’re going to come back and win this. Like, stay together, start chipping away. And that’s exactly what they did.”
Aaron Ashby pitched three scoreless innings for a save as the Brewers won their first NL pennant and second overall. Milwaukee was in the American League when the franchise made its only previous World Series appearance in 1982, a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Dodgers' goal of a three-peat — not done since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 and never by a National League team — died with their anemic offense and injuries to Ohtani and others on their aging roster.
“I'm not used to those consolation speeches,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Those guys played flawless. You've got to sometimes tip your cap.”
Milwaukee became the first major league club to finish a postseason sweep after getting swept by that same opponent in the previous postseason. Los Angeles took all four NLCS games against the Brewers last year.
"They may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we’ve got a bunch of gamers — and the gamers won this week,” Murphy said.
“I think the Dodgers figured out that we came in here with a little different attitude this year.”
The Brewers also are the first team to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series in which it trailed in every game.
“There was never a doubt in that dugout what was going to happen tonight. We knew we were going to win that game,” said first baseman Jake Bauers, the NLCS MVP.
Popular Reads
With the score tied 4-all, Mitchell fell behind 0-2 against reliever Tanner Scott leading off the sixth before taking three straight balls to run the count full. Mitchell then launched a 409-foot drive to center field that put the Brewers ahead for the first time. He also homered in their 6-2 victory Wednesday.
“It’s absolutely surreal," Mitchell said. "You talk about the battle-tested Brewers. We went down early and the belief in that dugout got stronger and stronger.”
Milwaukee's bullpen coolly turned away multiple threats when the Dodgers had the potential tying run on base.
Winning pitcher JoJo Romero struck out Max Muncy with Kyle Tucker at third to end the sixth.
With one out in the seventh and a runner on third, Ashby struck out Ohtani swinging before Mookie Betts grounded out to end the inning.
Will Smith doubled to right with one out in the eighth and reached third on Sal Frelick's fielding error, but Ashby retired Tucker on a shallow flyball and struck out Teoscar Hernández.
“Playing with that chip on our shoulder,” Ashby said. “You don’t ever know what to expect going into a series like that last year (against the Dodgers). You don’t know how bad it can be, and then it was as bad as it was. And we came out and we survived, and we came back this year, and those guys played their tails off.”
The Brewers tied it in the fifth, when the Dodgers bullpen issued four walks and Milwaukee stole two bases. Hamilton’s single chased starter Tyler Glasnow and scored Frelick, who walked and stole second, to pull Milwaukee to 4-3.
Evan Phillips walked two batters with two outs, one intentionally, before Alex Vesia entered and walked Bauers to force in Hamilton with the tying run.
Glasnow retired his first 10 batters — six on strikeouts — before the Brewers got to him in the fourth. Brice Turang walked, William Contreras hit a ground-rule double and Bauers followed with another ground-rule double that closed Milwaukee to 4-2.
Ohtani broke out of his postseason slump with a three-run homer after Andy Pages’ RBI single in the second. The four-time MVP released weeks of pent-up frustration by raising his arms and yelling as the crowd of 49,104 roared.
But the Brewers wouldn't be denied. And when it was over, owner Mark Attanasio thought of Milwaukee's longtime owner and beloved late broadcaster.
“It’s so important for the community, the entire state of Wisconsin,” Attanasio said. “We’re standing on shoulders of Bud Selig and Bob Uecker.”
___
A previous version of this story was corrected to fix the sequence of Dodgers pitchers and Brewers walks in the top of the fifth inning.
___