For the first time in this MLB Postseason, I have a Milwaukee Brewers article that doesn't consist of me swooning over their bullpen. The Brewers biggest asset on their 12 game win streak became their biggest downfall, sending the series back to LA tied-- 1-1.
The outcome of the game was in no part to the starting pitching of either side. Hyun-Jin Ryu, who was spectacular in his first postseason start for the Dodgers, was not quite as dominant against the Brewers. The lefty didn't manage to escape the fifth inning, giving up two runs on six hits over 4.1 innings. Wade Miley, however, was a surprising success once again for a weaker Brewers starting rotation.
Miley was lights out for 5.2 innings, giving up only two hits, while striking out three. The two hits he did give up were spread out perfectly, one being the second batter of the game, the other, the last batter he faced in the sixth inning. The Brewers got exactly what they asked for in order to turn the game over to their bread and butter.
Milwaukee also showed off their power early while Miley was still in the game beginning with the Orlando Arcia home run to give them the lead in the fifth. That home run was followed by a Miley single, a Lorenzo Cain double, and a Ryan Braun RBI groundout. One inning later, Milwaukee flexed their muscles again when Travis Shaw took the first pitch he saw deep for the third run of the game.
The Dodgers were unphased though, as their offence unloaded on Miley's replacement, Corbin Burnes. The top of the seventh began with a pinch hit walk, followed by two consecutive singles, the second of which scoring the Dodgers first run. Burnes was replaced by Jeremy Jeffress who didn't fair much better. The first batter he faced, Joc Pederson, hit a pinch hit single to load the bases. Jeffress then walked the third batter he saw to bring in the Dodgers second run.
The Brewers made the decision to keep with Jeffress in the eighth, hoping he'd return to form. The decision proved costly for manager Craig Counsell, as Chris Taylor lead of the inning with a single, which brought the go ahead run to the plate in Justin Turner.
It was the second time in as many nights that Turner stepped up to the plate in a massive situation, after having the tying run at third while he went down on strikes the night before. This time would be a whole lot different for Turner and the Dodgers. Jeffress gave Turner a hanging slider, low and inside, that he deposited over the left field wall with ease, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
That was all the Dodgers needed, as their bullpen shut it down for the next two innings, and they brought the series home tied at one.
Extra Innings
This is the second time in two nights that the Dodgers starter hasn't made it out of the fifth inning. With a starting rotation like there's, you would hope that they could go a little deeper into games.
Christian Yelich has not been good in this series. The probable NL MVP is one for eight in the series with three strikeouts. He will have to be much better if the Brewers want to win the series.
The Brewers pitchers may have space jammed all of Christian Yelich's hitting talent from him because damn, they've been good. In the two games so far, Brewers pitchers are three for three, with a home run, a double, and a single..
It was nice to see Justin Turner come through after a crushing strikeout the night before. LA will need him to continue to produce if they're going to win the World Series.
The loss was the Brewers' first in 13 games. They hope to begin a new streak on Monday night, when they send Jhoulys Chacin to the mound against Walker Buehler.