Brewers Bullpen Sets MLB Postseason Record in NLCS Game 2 Win Over Dodgers

After a 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Milwaukee Brewers are up 2-0 in the National League Championship Series. Most of the talk from this game will deservedly be about William Contreras' big day at the plate, but their win over the Dodgers might not have been possible without their bullpen.

Brewers relievers struck out seven Dodgers in five perfect innings to close out Game 2. MLB's Sarah Langs notes that this is the most perfect innings pitched by any team's bullpen in a single postseason game.

The bullpen has been a major X-factor for the Brewers this postseason. After their Game 2 masterpiece, Milwaukee relievers have combined for a 0.38 ERA (1 ER in 28.2 IP) through six games. In the five games they've won so far, the bullpen has not allowed a run.

Brewers Bullpen Makes Postseason History in Game 2 Win Over Dodgers

The Brewers' bullpen inherited a precarious situation in the top of the fifth. Starting pitcher Logan Henderson threw the ball away on a Tommy Edman sacrifice bunt following a double. That tied the game 3-3 and put the potential go-ahead run in scoring position with no outs.

Dustin May allowed his inherited runner to score, but otherwise retired the three hitters he faced. That started the streak of 15 consecutive hitters that Brewers relievers sent back to the dugout to close out Game 2.

Jojo Romero, who came to Milwaukee in the same trade as May at the deadline, added two strikeouts of his own in a perfect six. The final nine outs went to the usual suspects, as Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby got four and five outs.

Uribe has been a workhorse for the Brewers bullpen. The right-hander has appeared in all six of Milwaukee's postseason games. Ashby isn't too far behind with five himself. The Brewers are 5-0 in the postseason when the left-hander takes the mound.

Perhaps it was also fitting that the bullpen's best night of the postseason allowed the Brewers to enjoy their biggest lead in any game. The lineup finally capitalized on their opportunities, scoring seven runs. It marked the first time this postseason that the Brewers led by more than two runs.

Because of their bullpen, the Brewers enjoy a 2-0 series lead over the Dodgers. And there will be plenty of discourse on how this series goes, given the spending disparity between the National League's top two teams.