NewzLOS ANGELES (AP) — Back atop the batting order, Shohei Ohtani responded with a three-run homer that helped the Los Angeles Dodgers build their early lead in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.But it wasn't enough to keep the Milwaukee Brewers from advancing to their first World Series in 44 years on Thursday.The Dodgers lost 6-4 and got swept in four games, the same thing they did to the Brewers last year on the way to winning a second straight World Series title.Ohtani went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts — including a big one in the seventh inning with the potential tying run at third base and one out. He hit .192 in the playoffs (5 for 26) with three RBIs, four walks and 10 strikeouts.Last season, Ohtani was the NLCS MVP after hitting three home runs and striking out 10 batters over six-plus shutout innings of two-hit ball during a dominant two-way performance in the clinching Game 4.“Ohtani is arguably the best player in the world, and he’s proven that to us,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “He had the greatest game I’ve ever seen played by an individual player last year against us.”With the Dodgers facing elimination this time, Ohtani's 428-foot drive to right-center off former teammate Dustin May left his bat at 113.1 mph and gave Los Angeles a 4-0 lead in the second inning.
It was the Dodgers' first homer of the series and his first since Aug. 18 at Colorado — a span of 116 plate appearances.“I thought we woke up a giant. I’m like, ‘Oh, God, here we go,’” Murphy said.
“But we had a little JoJo Romero for them and Aaron Ashby for them later on. That did the trick.”The typically placid Ohtani reacted in a most un-Ohtani way: raising his arms and yelling toward the Dodgers' dugout before beginning his trot around the bases.“I think it was a lot of pent-up anger, frustration. It was the best ball he hit in probably two, three months, and it was a big hit,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“For him to look at the dugout, show that emotion, it just shows how much he cares. He still cares and wants to help his team win a baseball game.”With two outs, Ohtani unleashed the smooth and powerful swing that had mostly deserted him over the last few months while he dealt with knee and arm issues.The four-time MVP struck out swinging so hard in the first that his helmet came off.“I think he’s the best player on the planet, and h… NLCS Game 4: Brewers 6-4 DodgersDefending champions swept out of playoffsMilwaukee roar back from four runs downBrewers will face Rays or Guardians in World SeriesJake Bauers started the Brewers’ comeback with a two-run double and Garrett Mitchell hit a go-ahead home run to deliver a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday and send Milwaukee to their first World Series appearance in 44 years.Bauers added a bases-loaded walk to tie the game in the fifth inning as the Brewers rallied from an early four-run deficit to sweep the National League Championship Series in four games.
The dominating performance came after Milwaukee were swept out of the NLCS by Los Angeles last season.
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