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Dodgers vs. Brewers: They Had More Hits—So Why Did the Dodgers Lose?
The Dodgers collected seven hits, one more than the Brewers. Yet the final score was 2–1. It was a game that showed how, in baseball, more hits don’t always mean more runs.
The decisive difference was three double plays. The Dodgers got runners on base but couldn’t keep the offense moving, and scoring chances disappeared in an instant. Milwaukee, by contrast, focused not on piling up hits but on getting the one run it needed—and protecting it.
The Dodgers had more hits, but the Brewers were the team that made their scoring chances count.
Double Plays Stalled the Dodgers’ Offense
The Dodgers did get on base. Shohei Ohtani contributed a hit and a walk, helping get the offense started. The problem came after runners reached base.
A double play isn’t just two outs. It wipes out a chance to move a runner into scoring position and gives the opposing pitcher the quickest way out of trouble. In a low-scoring postseason game, one double play can change the feel of an entire inning.
The Dodgers saw the same scenario play out three times:
- A runner reached base, but the lineup couldn’t build on it
- A ground ball turned into a double play, ending the inning
- The Brewers’ pitchers escaped trouble with minimal effort
- The Dodgers’ offensive momentum was cut off before it could carry into the next inning
The Dodgers had a lineup capable of changing the game with one big hit. But Milwaukee effectively contained that power by working low in the zone and inducing ground balls.
How Milwaukee Protected Its One-Run Lead
In Game 1 of this Dodgers vs. Brewers matchup, Milwaukee stuck to its winning formula instead of trying to win with a flashy offensive display. Starter Misiorowski held the Dodgers to one run, and the bullpen that followed never let the lead slip away.
The Brewers’ approach was clear: don’t give Dodgers hitters a chance to drive the ball, and if they do get a runner on, use ground balls and defense to get out of trouble. Despite giving up more hits, Milwaukee limited the damage by inducing double plays and managing its bullpen effectively.
| Category | Dodgers | Brewers |
|---|---|---|
| Hits | 7 | 6 |
| Runs | 1 | 2 |
| Key momentum swing | 3 double plays | Double-play grounders and bullpen management |
| Game approach | Failed to create chances for extra-base hits | Successfully protected the lead |
Milwaukee scored when it needed to, then controlled the pace of the game. That was the biggest reason it came away with a 2–1 win.
What the Dodgers Need to Change in the Next Game
To fight back, the Dodgers need to change the timing and situational choices behind their hits, not simply get more of them. With runners on base, they need to focus less on trying to hit the ball hard at all costs and more on advancing runners while reducing the risk of a double play.
The key adjustments include:
- Cutting down on ground balls with runners on and fewer than two outs
- Improving their approach against the Brewers’ low pitches designed to draw swings
- Raising the on-base percentage of the hitters around Ohtani in the lineup
- Taking control early by attacking the first pitch against the bullpen
The Game 1 loss doesn’t mean the Dodgers’ offense has lost its power. It’s more of a warning that waiting for one big hit won’t be enough against the Brewers’ sharp defense and bullpen. The one-hit difference meant little—but the three double plays made all the difference.
Dodgers vs. Brewers: A True Showdown Between 103-Win and 100-Win Teams
It’s easy to miss the point of this NLCS if you see it as simply “the powerhouse Dodgers against the challengers.” The Milwaukee Brewers won 103 games in the regular season; the Los Angeles Dodgers won 100. These are two of the National League’s very best teams—not an underdog story, but a head-to-head clash between two teams that reached the top in very different ways.
| Team | Regular-Season Record | Identity |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 103 wins | Baserunning, making things happen, defense, bullpen |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 100 wins | Power hitting, star power, starting rotation |
The Brewers were swept by the Dodgers in four games on this same stage last year. That makes this series more than a fight for the league title—it’s also a chance for Milwaukee to show how it has overcome last year’s disappointment.
The first answer came in Game 1. The Brewers took a 2–1 win to seize the early advantage and snap their postseason losing streak against the Dodgers. Los Angeles had more hits, but Milwaukee did a better job of turning its scoring chances into runs.
The difference between the Dodgers and Brewers lies less in the size of their talent than in how they win. The Dodgers can change the course of a game in an instant with home runs and extra-base hits. The Brewers, by contrast, pressure opponents with ground balls, baserunning, airtight defense, and bullpen management.
That’s why Milwaukee came out on top first. Rather than trying to outslug the Dodgers’ formidable lineup, the Brewers kept the game low-scoring and protected their lead with double plays and a decisive bullpen effort. It was a win that combined the polish of a 103-win team with the determination to make up for last year’s disappointment.
Dodgers vs. Brewers: The Clash Between Home Run Power and Connected Baseball
One team looks to lift the ball and change the game in an instant; the other puts it in play and moves runners one base at a time. The heart of Dodgers vs. Brewers isn’t simply which lineup is better—it’s the contrast in how the teams create runs.
The Dodgers build their offense around extra-base hits and home runs. Their star hitters can drive in multiple runs with a single swing, giving them a powerful weapon that can turn the game around at any moment. When an opposing starter falters or a reliever leaves a pitch over the plate, the Dodgers can put together a big inning in a hurry.
The Brewers, by contrast, build pressure with ground balls, singles, and smart baserunning. As their 1.14 GO/AO ratio suggests, they tend to keep the ball on the ground and put it in play. Once a runner reaches base, they focus on manufacturing a run with productive outs, stolen bases, and by capitalizing on small defensive mistakes.
| Category | Dodgers | Brewers |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive starting point | Extra-base hits and home runs | Ground balls, singles, and getting on base |
| How they score | Big innings fueled by one swing | Steady scoring through advancing runners and stringing hits together |
| Batted-ball tendency | Fly-ball oriented | Ground-ball and balls-in-play oriented |
| Postseason X-factor | Explosive power | The reliability of defense, baserunning, and strategy |
The difference becomes even more pronounced in the postseason. In short series, the level of starting pitching and bullpen work is often so high that scoring drops. One home run can decide a game—but when the extra-base hits don’t come, an offense can also be shut down quickly.
That’s where the Brewers’ connected approach becomes especially effective in low-scoring games. Even without a big hit, they can string together baserunners, advances, and timely hits to score a run or two. In Game 1, the Dodgers had seven hits to the Brewers’ fewer hits but scored just once, while the Brewers turned their limited chances into a win—a clear illustration of the difference.
To fight back, the Dodgers need to do more than wait for a home run. They need to cut down on double plays, attack pitches down in the zone, and show greater precision in moving runners into scoring position. The Brewers, meanwhile, need to avoid mistakes against the heart of the Dodgers’ lineup and keep the game low-scoring.
Ultimately, Dodgers vs. Brewers is a series in which the team that connects best in the biggest moments—not necessarily the team that gets more hits—is more likely to come out on top. The explosive force of the home run and the steady pressure of ground balls and baserunning: two very different baseball philosophies are setting the stage for a dramatic fall showdown.
Dodgers vs. Brewers: How Double Plays and the Bullpen Made the Difference in a 2–1 Game
A 2–1 score suggests a close game, but the story was about more than one or two clutch hits. The turning points in Game 1 of the Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS came down to what each team did after getting runners on base—and how they managed the mound. Milwaukee induced ground-ball double plays when it mattered and never let its one-run lead slip away.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, managed seven hits—more than the Brewers—but scored just once. The difference wasn’t the number of hits, but how effectively each team moved runners into scoring position and brought them home.
Misiorowski Allows One Run, Then the Bullpen Closes the Door
Brewers starter Misiorowski set the tone, holding the Dodgers’ powerful lineup to one run. Rather than relying on an overpowering strikeout showcase, he disrupted hitters’ timing with low pitches and breaking balls, and used ground balls to shut down threats before they turned into big innings.
The bullpen that followed was even more crucial. After the Dodgers failed to make much headway against the starter, they had a chance to rally against Milwaukee’s relievers—but the Brewers never gave them that opening.
- Limited unnecessary walks.
- Worked low in the zone to induce ground balls.
- Kept runners from turning into extra-base hits.
- Attacked quickly when protecting the lead.
In a low-scoring postseason game, the bullpen does more than simply “finish” the job. It acts as a game-control mechanism, keeping the momentum from shifting to the opponent. The Brewers did exactly that.
Seven Hits, One Run—and Three Double Plays
The Dodgers’ problem wasn’t that the entire lineup went quiet. It was that their offense kept stalling. They got on base but couldn’t string hits together, and double plays cut off their momentum at critical moments. Those three double plays weren’t merely plays that produced two outs—they wiped out entire scoring opportunities.
They also played right into Milwaukee’s game plan. The Brewers used low pitches to get the Dodgers to hit ground balls instead of lifting the ball. That helped limit extra-base hits and, with runners on base, increased the chance of a double play.
| Dodgers’ offensive situation | Result | Impact on the game |
|---|---|---|
| Runners reached base, followed by the lower or middle of the lineup | Double play | Scoring opportunity erased |
| Hits sparked a rally | No follow-up hit | Dodgers managed just one run |
| Offense against the bullpen | No extra-base hits | Lost chances to tie or take the lead |
A team like the Dodgers, which relies heavily on extra-base hits, can change the course of a game with one big swing. But when an opponent works low in the zone and leans on its infield defense to keep the ball on the ground, an offense can stall more easily than expected.
Why Ohtani Getting on Base Wasn’t Enough
Shohei Ohtani did his part to a degree, reaching base with a hit and a walk. But in the postseason, one player getting on base doesn’t automatically mean a run. The hitters around him need to advance the runner, and the team needs to make better contact with runners in scoring position before those opportunities turn into runs.
The Dodgers’ biggest shortcoming wasn’t Ohtani’s individual performance, but their failure to build on the chances he created. The middle of the lineup couldn’t produce an extra-base hit, and double plays came with runners on base. In the end, the game unfolded exactly the way the Brewers wanted: low-scoring and tightly controlled.
To bounce back in the next game, the Dodgers need to make adjustments rather than simply wait for a big hit:
- Avoid hard-hit ground balls with no outs or one out.
- Show better plate discipline against low breaking pitches.
- Improve the on-base production around Ohtani in the lineup.
- Choose more precise contact in scoring situations instead of forcing a big swing.
- Put more pressure on the Brewers’ starter before the bullpen enters.
In the end, the 2–1 result in Game 1 came down to the smallest margins. The Brewers erased threats with double plays and their bullpen, while the Dodgers got on base but couldn’t turn those chances into runs. The direction of the series may depend on how quickly the Dodgers can correct this invisible difference.
Dodgers vs. Brewers: Milwaukee Has the Momentum, but the Series Is Still Wide Open
The Brewers seized the early momentum with a 2–1 win in Game 1, snapping a four-game losing streak to the Dodgers in last year’s NLCS. In a low-scoring game, Milwaukee’s starting pitching, bullpen, and defense all held firm—a major confidence boost for the team.
But a best-of-seven series isn’t decided by one win. The Dodgers outhit Milwaukee, yet were held to one run after grounding into three double plays. That points less to a loss of firepower than to a failure to cash in on scoring opportunities.
The path to a Dodgers comeback is relatively clear:
- Reduce the risk of grounding into double plays with runners on and fewer than two outs
- Do a better job laying off low pitches designed to tempt hitters
- Mix extra-base hits with singles and aggressive baserunning
- Get to the Brewers’ starter early and force Milwaukee to use its bullpen
If the hitters around the heart of the order, including Ohtani, can get on base more often, the Dodgers’ power could once again become a major factor. Rather than relying solely on the home run, they need to move runners with singles, stolen bases, and productive outs—then deliver the decisive extra-base hit.
Ultimately, the next turning point in the Dodgers vs. Brewers series will come down to whether Los Angeles can turn its chances into runs. Milwaukee will look to stick with its defense-and-bullpen-driven approach, while the Dodgers need to get their stalled offense back on track. The Brewers took the momentum in Game 1, but the key to a comeback is still in the Dodgers’ hands.
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