Game 5 of the National League Championship Series was a pivotal one, and it was the Los Angeles Dodgers who were able to take a 3-2 series advantage with a 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
With the Dodgers offense struggling over the last few games, they needed a gem from ace Clayton Kershaw, and that is exactly what they received. Kershaw faced the minimum in every inning that he pitched except the third.
Overall, he tossed seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out nine.
The Dodgers offense continued to struggle for the first four innings, but they finally broke through in the fifth. Chris Taylor hit an infield single to begin the frame and advanced to second on a throwing error by Orlando Arcia.
After stealing third base on the next pitch, Austin Barnes drove him in with a single up the middle to tie the game. Los Angeles then took the lead in the sixth when Max Muncy went the other way for a single, scoring Justin Turner.
Yasiel Puig added some insurance later that inning with an RBI single of his own. Kershaw started a rally in the seventh by working his second walk of the game with one out.
He later scored on a base hit up the middle by Turner, and Brian Dozier drove in the fifth run with a slow chopper to plate Manny Machado in that same inning.
The Dodgers, who relied on the home run ball for much of the season, did not homer at all in the three games at Dodger Stadium. They were still able to come away with two victories though as they head back to Miller Park just one win away from returning to the World Series for the second straight season.
Want to get your content COMPLETELY AD FREE? Click here to follow us on Apple News!
