The Milwaukee Brewers are halfway to the World Series, and the Cleveland Guardians have carried their remarkable postseason comeback into the American League Championship Series.
Both teams won Monday night, but they took different routes. Milwaukee overcame three deficits to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, while Cleveland rallied from two runs down to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in the ALCS opener.
For the defending World Series champion Dodgers, two losses in Milwaukee have turned their pursuit of another title into an uphill battle. The Rays, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat of the postseason after sweeping the New York Yankees in the Division Series.
Brewers Refuse to Let Dodgers Take Control
Milwaukee entered Monday’s game with a 1-0 series advantage following Sunday’s 2-1 victory. The Dodgers needed a response, and they repeatedly took the lead. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the Brewers had an answer every time.
William Contreras drove in Milwaukee’s first run with an RBI single in the opening inning, erasing an early Dodgers advantage. In the third, Jake Bauers battled Yoshinobu Yamamoto through a remarkable 12-pitch plate appearance that lasted more than seven minutes before drawing a walk.
Christian Yelich followed with a two-run single, giving Milwaukee the lead and ending Yamamoto’s night after just 2 2/3 innings. It was the shortest postseason start of his career.
Los Angeles reclaimed the advantage in the fifth after Milwaukee starter Logan Henderson committed his second throwing error of the game. Freddie Freeman delivered a sacrifice fly against reliever Dustin May, putting the Dodgers ahead 4-3.
Once again, Milwaukee responded.
Contreras launched a 436-foot solo home run off Kris Bubic in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game. An inning later, he delivered a go-ahead RBI single, giving the Brewers a lead they would not relinquish.
The catcher finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, becoming just the fourth player in postseason history to record three separate game-tying or go-ahead hits in one game.
Milwaukee’s Bullpen Makes History
As impressive as Contreras was, the Brewers’ relief pitchers were equally responsible for the victory.
After Henderson departed in the fifth, May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby combined to retire all 15 Dodgers batters they faced. Their five perfect innings established a postseason record for the longest completely perfect relief effort by a team in a single game.
The dominance was especially striking considering the strength of Los Angeles’ lineup. The Dodgers managed just three hits in the entire game, matching Contreras’ individual total.
Milwaukee added insurance runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Brice Turang and Bauers, extending its advantage to 7-4. Ashby finished the game by striking out Miguel Rojas, completing a five-out save.
The victory gives Milwaukee a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. Historically, teams winning the first two games of a seven-game postseason series have advanced 79 times in 95 opportunities.
For the Brewers, who have not reached the World Series since 1982, the opportunity is becoming increasingly tangible. They have already defeated Los Angeles twice despite facing Tarik Skubal and Yamamoto in the opening games.
The Dodgers now return home needing four victories before Milwaukee collects two more.
Guardians Continue Their October Comeback
Cleveland’s postseason has become an extended exercise in refusing to be eliminated.
After losing the first two games of the Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, the Guardians won three consecutive elimination games to advance. They carried that momentum into Monday’s ALCS opener, defeating Tampa Bay 7-3 at Tropicana Field for their fourth consecutive postseason victory.
The Rays appeared comfortable early. Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca delivered RBI singles in the first inning against Cleveland starter Foster Griffin, giving Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.
Drew Rasmussen protected that advantage through five innings before Chase DeLauter opened the sixth with an opposite-field solo home run.
Rasmussen returned for the seventh despite having thrown 90 pitches. His first offering to Patrick Bailey traveled 436 feet to center field, tying the game at 2-2 and ending the starter’s night.
The decision to send Rasmussen back out became a significant turning point. He had largely controlled Cleveland’s offense, but the Guardians capitalized on their opportunities once the game reached the late innings.
Nathaniel Lowe Delivers the Winning Hit
With the score tied in the eighth, José Ramírez opened the inning with an infield single against Tyler Wells. DeLauter followed with a double, putting runners at second and third with nobody out.
After Jo Adell grounded out, Tampa Bay brought in Ian Seymour to face Nathaniel Lowe.
Lowe responded by lining an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a two-run single, scoring Ramírez and DeLauter and giving Cleveland its first lead of the evening.
Cedric Mullins briefly brought Tampa Bay closer with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Guardians added three insurance runs in the ninth.
Ramírez drove in one run with a single before Adell delivered a two-run double. The latter came after Ramírez broke toward third base, drawing Caminero toward the bag and leaving the left side of the infield exposed.
Cleveland finished with 14 hits, including three each from Ramírez and DeLauter. Five Guardians relievers combined to allow just one run over the final five innings, with Cade Smith working a perfect ninth.
For Tampa Bay, which won 98 regular-season games and swept New York in the ALDS, the loss represented a sudden reversal. The Rays entered the Championship Series well rested, but Cleveland’s combination of late-inning hitting and bullpen depth proved decisive.
Where the Championship Series Stand
Milwaukee leads the National League Championship Series 2-0 after defeating Los Angeles 7-4 on Monday. Cleveland holds a 1-0 lead in the American League Championship Series following its 7-3 victory over Tampa Bay.
The ALCS continues Tuesday, October 13, with Cleveland visiting Tampa Bay for Game 2 at Tropicana Field. Rookie left-hander Parker Messick is scheduled to start for the Guardians against Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, with television coverage on TBS, truTV, and UniMás and streaming on HBO Max.
The NLCS resumes Wednesday, October 14, at Dodger Stadium, where Los Angeles will attempt to avoid falling into a three-game deficit. Game 3 begins at 7 p.m. CT on FS1, FOX Deportes, and FOX One.
Milwaukee needs two more victories to reach the World Series for the first time in 44 years, while Cleveland needs three more to win its first American League pennant since 2016.
Both teams have demonstrated that they can recover from early deficits. The question now is whether the Dodgers and Rays can do the same.
