Dodgers’ Aces Take Control as Milwaukee Struggles To Keep Up

The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ starting rotation has been nothing short of amazing through the first 2 games of the National League Championship series, after Blake Snell’s eight-inning masterclass performance in Game 1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto followed it up with an even more remarkable performance on Tuesday. The first win in the postseason since 2017, leading the Dodgers to a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Yamamoto had a leadoff home run from Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio and went on to allow just two more hits, striking out nine in the process. It was an unexpected turnaround from his disastrous start in July in Milwaukee, where he did not make it out of the first inning.

With back-to-back outings of eight innings or more, the Dodgers’ starters have allowed just one run in the series, forcing Milwaukee’s bullpen to cover more than 11 innings in two games. Los Angeles’ relievers have pitched a single inning. The Dodgers now hold a commanding 2-0 series lead heading back to Dodger Stadium, where Tyler Glasnow will take the mound for Game 3.

For the Dodgers, this postseason has been a display of precision and control. Their starting rotation owns a 1.54 ERA, the lowest by any playoff team since 2012. Waiting for Game 4, Los Angeles looks unstoppable, a team peaking at exactly the right time in their quest for back-to-back World Series titles.

Milwaukee’s lineup, which led the National League in on-base percentage during the regular season, has struggled to adjust to the Dodgers’ relentless pitching. Manager Pat Murphy admitted after Game 2, “that his hitters were pressing too hard and chasing pitches they normally wouldn’t.”

With the series shifting back to Los Angeles, the Dodgers have all the momentum. If their rotation continues to perform at this level, another trip to the World Series feels inevitable.