Heroes and zeros: Dodgers’ October nightmare ends with a whimper
The Los Angeles Dodgers' postseason hopes crumbled in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, falling 6-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers in a sweep that handed Milwaukee its first pennant since 2008. After a promising start, the Dodgers took a commanding 4-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a long-awaited home run from Shohei Ohtani, snapping his 25-game drought and marking his first long ball since August.
However, the Brewers’ bullpen stifled any Dodger comeback attempts, with left-hander JoJo Romero and southpaw Aaron Ashby combining for three scoreless frames, including a crucial sixth inning where Romero struck out Max Muncy and stranded the potential tying run. Ashby’s dominance continued into the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, as he shut down the Dodgers’ lineup and preserved the Brewers’ victory, securing the franchise’s first NL pennant in 16 years.
The Brewers’ resurgence in this series was anchored by Jake Bauers, who emerged as the series MVP after a breakout season. The former journeyman slugger, who had never batted above .235 in a campaign, delivered a two-RBI double in Game 4 and finished the series with a .266 average, 26 home runs, and 86 RBIs.
His transformation from role player to postseason hero underscored Milwaukee’s depth and resilience, contrasting sharply with the Dodgers’ offensive struggles beyond Ohtani’s fleeting spark in the second inning. The loss marked the end of another disappointing October for Los Angeles, which failed to capitalize on early momentum despite Ohtani’s heroics and a lineup that otherwise went silent against Brewers’ pitching.
