Contreras’ three RBI and perfect relief finish put Brewers up 2–0 on Dodgers

William Contreras brought Milwaukee back level in the fifth inning, then put the Brewers ahead in the sixth. His three-hit, three-RBI night helped deliver a 7-4 win over the Dodgers on Monday and a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.

The tying swing was a 436-foot home run to center field off Kris Bubic. Contreras followed it with an RBI single in his next plate appearance, turning a game Los Angeles had repeatedly led into another Milwaukee victory. The Brewers finished with 12 hits; the Dodgers managed three.

Milwaukee's bullpen protected the lead without allowing another baserunner. Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined to retire the final 15 Dodgers in order. That left the visitors with no late response as the Brewers added two insurance runs in the eighth.

The teams traded runs early. Teoscar Hernández's first-inning sacrifice fly scored Mookie Betts, and Contreras answered with an RBI single that brought Brice Turang home. Los Angeles moved ahead again in the third when a throwing error by Milwaukee starter Logan Henderson allowed Tommy Edman to score.

Christian Yelich then gave Milwaukee its first lead. After Jake Bauers worked a walk to load the bases, Yelich singled up the middle to drive in two runs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto's night ended after 2 2/3 innings, with the Dodgers trailing 3-2.

Los Angeles recovered in the fifth. Kyle Tucker opened the inning with a double, and Henderson's errant throw on Edman's sacrifice bunt allowed Tucker to score. Freddie Freeman's sacrifice fly brought Edman home and made it 4-3. Contreras erased that advantage in the bottom half.

The decisive sixth began with David Hamilton being hit by a pitch. A pickoff throw that escaped Freeman's glove sent him to second. After Jackson Chourio grounded out and Turang walked, Contreras singled to left to bring Hamilton home. The catcher finished 3-for-4 with a walk. Hamilton scored three times, and Turang also crossed the plate three times.

In the eighth, Turang and Bauers each added an RBI single. Milwaukee's pitching had already stopped the Dodgers' offense, so the extra runs widened a lead the visitors could no longer threaten.

Henderson allowed four runs in four innings, two earned. Milwaukee overcame his two throwing errors with its offense and relief pitching. The Dodgers went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, while the Brewers kept producing after both starters had departed.

The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Wednesday. Monday's win gives Milwaukee two victories in a best-of-seven series; the Brewers still need two more to advance. The Dodgers return home having scored five runs across the first two games.

Sources

MLB: NLCS Game 2 final box and plays · AP: Contreras and Brewers bullpen win Game 2