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Brewers break through Tarik Skubal to grab 1-0 lead over Dodgers in NLCS

The Milwaukee Brewers secured a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2026 National League Championship Series (NLCS) on Sunday, October 11, at American Family Field, taking a 1-0 series lead.

The Brewers’ starting pitcher, Jacob Misiorowski, lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run and needing 94 pitches, while Dodgers’ starter Tarik Skubal was removed after five innings, having thrown 81 pitches and surrendering two runs—his shortest postseason outing by innings and pitches.

The Dodgers scored their only run in the second inning, when Andy Pages delivered an RBI single following a walk by Shohei Ohtani and a single by Teoscar Hernández. The Brewers tied the game in the fourth inning when Brice Turang hit a solo home run, a 384-foot shot that came after Skubal fell behind 2-0 in the count.

The Brewers then took the lead in the fifth inning, when Garrett Mitchell scored on a base hit by Luis Lara after a walk and a bunt moved him into scoring position. Skubal issued a leadoff walk to Mitchell in that inning, setting up the Brewers’ go-ahead run.

Skubal had started the game strongly, retiring nine of the first 10 Brewers he faced and striking out six of them, but the Brewers’ offense wore him down in their second trip through the order. Misiorowski, meanwhile, escaped multiple scoring chances, allowing just one run despite the Dodgers working counts and fouling off pitches.

The Brewers’ bullpen held on to preserve the 2-1 victory after Skubal’s early removal.

The Brewers entered the NLCS as the National League Division Series (NLDS) champions, having defeated the San Diego Padres and finishing the regular season with a 103-62 record. The Dodgers entered the series with a 100-62 record and a first-place finish in the NL West.

The Dodgers failed to build a cushion, going 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position in the NLDS and again in this game. Shohei Ohtani, who went 2-for-13 in the NLDS, was part of the Dodgers’ lineup, while Andy Pages provided the only run for Los Angeles with his RBI single.

The Brewers’ offense relied on a mix of small-ball tactics and a clutch home run to secure the win. Turang’s fourth-inning shot tied the game, while the Brewers’ patience and precision in moving runners into scoring position proved decisive.

Misiorowski’s ability to limit damage despite allowing five hits and three walks was critical, as was the bullpen’s ability to close out the game after Skubal’s early removal.

This report also draws on coverage from Fox Sports, MLB.com.

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