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The Dodgers of Los Angeles pushed the Phillies of Philadelphia to the verge of being knocked out, securing a 4-3 victory in Monday’s opening game. This gives them a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five NLDS.
The Brewers of Milwaukee mirrored this achievement against the Cubs in the later game, clinching a 7-3 triumph in Game 2 of their NLDS.
Both Game 3 encounters are scheduled for Wednesday.
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The Milwaukee Brewers stand just one victory away from their first NLCS appearance in seven years. The Brewers, after an initial setback on Monday at American Family Field, surged to a convincing 7-3 win against the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of their NLDS. This establishes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series as it shifts to Wrigley Field later in the week.
The Cubs, who suffered a 9-3 defeat in Game 1, made an explosive start on Monday, signaling their intent to rebound in the series. Seiya Suzuki blasted a three-run home run in the opening inning after Nico Hoerner’s single and Justin Turner’s walk.
However, Chicago’s advantage was short-lived. The Brewers retaliated against Shota Imanaga, with Andrew Vaughn launching his own three-run homer in the bottom of the inning to equalize the score. William Contreras then propelled the Brewers into the lead with a solo homer in the third, marking the end of Imanaga’s outing.
In the subsequent inning, Jackson Chourio amplified Milwaukee’s momentum. He unleashed the night’s longest hit, sending a three-run home run straight to center field off reliever Drew Pomeranz. This extended the Brewers’ lead by four runs. All seven of their runs were a result of home runs with two outs.
Rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski entered the game to pitch three scoreless innings during the Brewers’ bullpen strategy. This marked his debut in the postseason, and he delivered 31 pitches exceeding 100 mph — a record for a pitcher in a postseason game in the pitch-tracking era. Misiorowski celebrated his inaugural playoff win with the final out.
The Cubs will attempt to mount a comeback and force a Game 5, beginning Wednesday with Game 3 at Wrigley Field (5:08 p.m. ET/TBS, TruTV). Milwaukee will be aiming for a series sweep and a period of rest before the NLCS. — Ryan Young
Blake Snell was outstanding. The Dodgers’ offense ignited at the crucial moment. And the often-criticized Los Angeles bullpen held its ground as the Dodgers clinched a 4-3 victory over the Phillies in Game 2, taking a 2-0 lead in the NLDS.
For six innings, Monday’s game was a captivating pitchers’ duel, with Snell and Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo exchanging impressive performances on the mound. Snell maintained a no-hitter until the penultimate out of the fifth inning. Luzardo retired 17 consecutive Dodgers batters, carrying a scoreless tie into the top of the seventh.
However, Luzardo faltered. Teoscar Hernández initiated the inning with a single. Freddie Freeman followed with a double, placing runners on second and third with no outs. Consequently, the Philly starter’s night came to an end.
With reliever Orion Kerkering now pitching, Kiké Hernández once again delivered in the postseason, as he has done numerous times before. He drove Teoscar Hernández home on a fielder’s choice and secured first base as the play at the plate was unsuccessful. The Dodgers then loaded the bases and cleared them with a two-run single by Will Smith and an RBI hit from Shohei Ohtani, his first of the series.
Yet, a lead is never entirely secure with the Dodgers bullpen, and tension arose in the later innings. The Phillies scored a run in the eighth, followed by two more off Blake Treinen in the ninth. Nick Castellanos reached second with no outs via a two-run double, narrowing the Dodgers’ lead to 4-3. Subsequently, Alex Vesia and Roki Sasaki combined to extinguish the threat and secure the final three outs without further concession.
The series now transitions to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers will have two opportunities to conclude the best-of-five series on their home turf. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday (9:08 p.m. ET/TBS, TruTV). — Jason Owens
MLB Division Series: Real-time Updates
Stay connected with Yahoo Sports for up-to-the-minute coverage, key moments, and more from Game 2 of the NLDS:
