Updated
The National League Championship Series Game 1 lived up to expectations and delivered a true pitching duel. Jacob Misiorowski, the favorite for the 2026 NL Cy Young Award, faced Tarik Skubal in a game where every run carried enormous weight.
In the end, the Milwaukee Brewers found a way to manufacture just enough offense to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 and take a 1-0 series lead.
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Dodgers strike first, but Misiorowski escapes trouble
The Dodgers threatened early in the top of the second inning. Shohei Ohtani drew a walk and Teoscar Hernández followed with a single to put runners on first and second with no outs against Milwaukee’s ace.
Misiorowski limited the damage by striking out Max Muncy, but Andy Pages came through with an RBI single to bring Ohtani home and give Los Angeles the early lead. The pressure increased when Kyle Tucker drew a walk to load the bases.
With Kiké Hernández stepping to the plate, it looked like another potential October moment was developing for the Puerto Rican star. However, Misiorowski escaped the jam by inducing a ground ball that turned into an inning-ending double play.
Turang ties it and small-ball baseball decides the game
Milwaukee finally responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Brice Turang launched a solo home run to tie the game.
In the fifth inning, the Brewers’ small-ball approach once again made the difference. Garrett Mitchell opened the inning with a walk, moved 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt, and later scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Luis Lara.
That run proved to be enough in a game controlled by the pitchers.
Milwaukee’s bullpen protected the lead through the final innings, though not without one final scare.
In the ninth inning, Trevor Megill issued back-to-back walks with two outs, putting the tying run on base. However, he retired Mookie Betts on a fly ball to center field that carried to the warning track, securing the victory for the Brewers.
The series will continue with another high-level pitching matchup. Logan Henderson will start for Milwaukee, while the Dodgers will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto as they look to even the series.