Milwaukee Brewers sweep Dodgers to clinch first World Series berth in 44 years
Milwaukee defeated Los Angeles 6‑4 in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday night, completing a 4‑0 sweep and securing the Brewers’ first World Series ticket since the 1982 season.
The victory halted the Dodgers’ attempt at a historic three‑peat and underscored the dramatic contrast between the NLCS champions: the Dodgers entered the series with a $339 million payroll, the second‑largest in baseball, while Milwaukee’s $146 million payroll ranked 19th.
Los Angeles jumped ahead early in Game 4 when Shohei Ohtani belted a three‑run home run in the second inning, giving the Dodgers a 4‑0 lead. The Brewers rallied when Jake Bauers forced in a run on a bases‑loaded walk, tying the game. A few innings later, Garrett Mitchell launched a go‑ahead homer in the sixth, putting Milwaukee ahead for good.
Pat Murphy, the Brewers’ manager, summed up the upset: “They may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we have a bunch of gamers, and the gamers won this week.” He added that his club “wasn’t coming in to play patty‑cake” and that the team “proved any team can beat any team on any given day.”
Bauers, who was named NLCS MVP, finished the series with six RBIs, including a two‑run homer in Game 3 that turned a deficit into a lead. He went 4‑for‑14 overall and was quoted after the clinching win: “I just let it all come to me. I didn’t chase it. I just wanted to be a part of something, and that’s what I got.”
Reliever Aaron Ashby recorded a three‑inning save in the final game, striking out key Dodgers batters and preserving the Brewers’ lead. The Dodgers’ pitching staff struggled throughout the series, posting a 6.50 ERA and going 4‑for‑27 with runners in scoring position.
Milwaukee’s overall performance was balanced: the club posted a league‑best .341 on‑base percentage, amassed 1,422 hits, and finished the regular season with 103 wins. Jacob Misiorowski emerged as a Cy Young candidate, posting a 1.80 ERA during the postseason.
Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, praised the Brewers after the sweep, saying, “They played flawless, they really did.” The victory sends Milwaukee to the World Series, where they will open the best‑of‑seven on Oct. 23 at American Family Field against the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays.
