The Los Angeles Dodgers emerged victorious in a nail-biting NLCS opener, clinging to a 2-1 win against the Milwaukee Brewers despite a dominant Blake Snell performance and a terrifying ninth-inning rally that left Brewers fans on the edge of their seats.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The Los Angeles Dodgers managed to hold on for a precarious 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in a dramatic National League Championship Series opener on Monday, October 13, 2025. This hard-fought win saw Blake Snell deliver a pitching masterpiece that narrowly avoided being squandered by a relentless Brewers’ ninth-inning surge.
Snell’s Dominance on the Mound
Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts had high praise for his ace. Blake Snell was nothing short of brilliant, stifling the powerful Brewers lineup through eight scoreless innings. He allowed only one hit, a leadoff single in the third to Caleb Durbin, whom Snell then promptly picked off first base. The left-hander recorded an impressive 10 strikeouts and issued no walks during his efficient 103-pitch outing, moving to a 3-0 record in the postseason. “We faced one of the best pitchers in the game,” admitted Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, “He was on. When he’s executing like that, it’s going to be a tough night.”
Offensive Spark and Expanding the Lead
The Dodgers offense, while quiet for much of the game, found just enough to support Snell. The breakthrough came in the sixth inning when first baseman Freddie Freeman launched a one-out solo home run to right field off Brewers pitcher Chad Patrick (0-1). This marked Freeman’s first homer of the postseason and snapped the scoreless tie.
Los Angeles extended their lead in the top of the ninth against Brewers reliever Abner Uribe. After giving up one hit and walking three batters, Uribe loaded the bases, allowing Mookie Betts to draw a crucial bases-loaded walk, pushing the score to 2-0.
Milwaukee’s Dramatic Ninth-Inning Rally
The bottom of the ninth, however, proved to be anything but routine for the Dodgers. With Snell’s gem complete, Roki Sasaki took the mound for Los Angeles. Sasaki immediately faced trouble, issuing a one-out walk to Isaac Collins. Pinch-hitter Jake Bauers followed with a ground-rule double to center field, advancing Collins to third. Jackson Chourio then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Collins and cutting the lead to 2-1.
The tension escalated further when Christian Yelich drew a walk, prompting another pitching change. Closer Blake Treinen entered the game, but his initial command faltered, walking William Contreras to load the bases with two outs. The American Family Field crowd was on its feet, sensing a potential walk-off victory.
With the game on the line, Treinen dug deep and delivered, fanning Brice Turang on a 2-2 fastball to secure the final out and the Dodgers’ narrow 2-1 win. “That team’s going to fight. They’re going to fight until the end,” Dave Roberts said of the Brewers’ resilient effort. “You’ve got to give credit to those guys… they kept the line moving.”
Brewers’ Missed Opportunities and Regular Season Dominance
The Brewers’ late rally highlighted earlier missed chances in the game. In the fourth inning, they loaded the bases but were thwarted by a bizarre inning-ending double play. Bulk reliever Quinn Priester walked Teoscar Hernandez, followed by consecutive one-out singles from Will Smith and Tommy Edman. Max Muncy then sent a deep fly that center fielder Sal Frelick deflected off the wall and back into his glove, initiating a sequence that resulted in two force outs at home and third base.
Another opportunity slipped away in the fifth when Enrique Hernandez hit a leadoff double, and Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked with one out. However, Mookie Betts then bounced into an inning-ending double play. Milwaukee utilized six pitchers in total, with Priester contributing four shutout innings.
Adding historical context to the rivalry, the Brewers boasted an impressive 6-0 regular-season record against the Dodgers, sweeping both home-and-away three-game series. They also finished the regular season with a franchise-record 97 victories, the best record in baseball, setting the stage for an intense postseason matchup. “We knew coming into this series they play great defense, they pitch, they get the big hits when they need to,” Freddie Freeman noted about the Brewers’ reputation. “That’s just who the Brewers are.”
The Dodgers’ ability to narrowly escape with a win in Game 1 sets the tone for what promises to be a thrilling NLCS. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday in Milwaukee. Fans can keep up with all the official postseason news and schedules at MLB.com’s Postseason Hub, and find the latest on the winning team at the Los Angeles Dodgers Official Site.
