The Dodgers' season ends in a complete failure after being swept by the Brewers
The Brewers erased a 4-0 deficit, stunned the Dodgers with a dramatic comeback, and punched their first World Series ticket since 1982.
Garrett Mitchell blasted the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning, and Milwaukee’s dominant bullpen delivered once again as the Brewers rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Dodger s 6-4 on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, completing the sweep and punching their first World Series ticket since 1982 .
No. 9 hitter David Hamilton added a two-out solo homer off Edwin Díaz in the ninth inning to extend the lead to two runs. Hamilton had hit just four home runs during the regular season.
“We fell behind early, but we knew it could become a great story,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “We kept telling ourselves we’d chip away, stay together, and get back into the game. That’s exactly what we did.”
Everything seemed to be going the Dodgers’ way when Shohei Ohtani launched his first home run of the postseason, a three-run blast that gave Los Angeles a 4-0 lead in the second inning. But Milwaukee answered with a memorable comeback to complete a sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions , just one year after being swept by the same opponent in the NLCS .
The Brewers became the first team in Major League Baseball history to sweep a postseason series after being swept by that same opponent in the previous postseason.
“We played with that chip on our shoulder,” reliever Aaron Ashby said. “Last year was as tough as it gets. We survived it, came back this season, and these guys left everything on the field.”
Milwaukee will make just the second World Series appearance in franchise history. The only previous trip came in 1982 , when the club was still in the American League and lost in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals .
Garrett Mitchell changed the game with one swing
With the score tied 4-4, Mitchell battled back from an 0-2 count, worked the at-bat full, and crushed a 409-foot home run to center field off Tanner Scott—the first homer of his career after falling behind 0-2—to give Milwaukee its first lead of the night.
The outfielder had also starred in Game 3 with another home run during the Brewers’ 6-2 victory.
“I’ve always dreamed of moments like this since I was a kid,” Mitchell said.
Brewers bullpen shut the door
After Mitchell’s homer, Milwaukee’s bullpen took over.
Winning pitcher JoJo Romero struck out Max Muncy with a runner on third to end the sixth inning.
Then Aaron Ashby tossed three scoreless innings to earn the save. Along the way, he struck out Ohtani, retired Mookie Betts with the potential tying run on base, and escaped another threat in the eighth after Will Smith reached third following a defensive error.
Brewers rally after Glasnow’s dominant start
Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow retired the first 10 batters he faced, striking out six of them.
Milwaukee finally broke through in the fourth inning with back-to-back RBI ground-rule doubles from William Contreras and Jake Bauers , then capitalized on Los Angeles’ bullpen struggles in the fifth.
Dodgers relievers issued four walks in the inning, allowing the Brewers to erase the deficit. Hamilton drove in a run with a single before Alex Vesia walked Bauers with the bases loaded, forcing home the tying run.
What began with Ohtani’s towering home run ended as another unforgettable night for Milwaukee, which snapped a 44-year World Series drought and will now compete for the first championship in franchise history.
