The Los Angeles Dodgers came into Game 6 of the National League Championship Series with a 3-2 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers looking for a win to stamp a second ticket to the World Series in three straight NLCS appearances from 2016-2018. It was not to be on Friday night, however, as a disastrous beginning to the game by SP Hyun-Jin Ryu and lack of offense allowed the Brewers to force a seventh and decisive game in Milwaukee on Saturday.
Brewers 7, Dodgers 2
W: Knebel; L: Ryu
Player of the Game: Corey Knebel (victory, 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO)
Series Tied 3-3
Dodgers SP Hyun-Jin Ryu was not sharp out of the box for Los Angeles, allowing five runs on 7 hits with 2 BB and 3 SO in 3.0 IP. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts failed to pull Ryu early before much damage could be done and also failed to force Brewers manager Craig Counsell to use his best reliever, noted bigot Josh Hader, ahead of a final Game 7 tomorrow once it became clear Game 6 would be a losing effort.
The Dodgers got out to an early lead thanks to a solo home run by INF David Freese to lead off the game, but failed to bring in INF Justin Turner, who reached on a 1-out single.
Milwaukee bit back in the bottom of the bottom of the first with a 4-run inning on a double by INF Jesús Aguilar scoring OF Lorenzo Cain and OF Ryan Braun, another double by INF Mike Moustakas driving in Aguilar, and a single by C Erik Kratz that plated Moustakas.
In the bottom of the 2nd, the Crew added on with an RBI double by Braun which brought in OF Christian Yelich.
In the top of the 5th, LA made some noise with a double by Freese to drive in PH/INF Brian Dozier. The Dodgers were able to bring the tying run to the plate following a 1-out walk to INF Max Muncy, which chased Milwaukee SP Wade Miley from the game. He was relieved by Corey Knebel, who retired Turner on a flyout to Cain and struck out INF Manny Machado. Knebel would work one more scoreless inning of relief for the Crew and prevent the Dodgers from being able to further chip away at the Milwaukee lead.
The Brewers added insult to injury with additional runs in the bottom of the 7th and bottom of the 8th, one of which came on a wild pitch by RP Kenta Maeda that allowed Aguilar to score.
NLCS Game 7 will kick off at 8:09 PM ET on Saturday. The winner will advance to the World Series to face the Boston Red Sox beginning on Tuesday at 8:09 PM ET. Probable starters for Game 7: Buehler (LAD) – 2.62 ERA; ChacÃn (MIL) – 3.50 ERA.
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