Dodgers’ three-peat dream unravels as Brewers storm back to sweep NLCS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — There won’t be a three-peat for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their dream of becoming the first team to win three consecutive World Series titles since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 — and the first National League club ever to accomplish the feat — faded with anemic offense, a shaky bullpen and an ailing Shohei Ohtani slumping in the postseason.

Ohtani hit a three-run homer that helped stake the Dodgers to an early 4-0 lead in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday, but the younger Milwaukee Brewers pulled off yet another comeback in a 6-4 win to complete a four-game sweep.

“I’m not used to those consolation speeches,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I personally told our guys that there’s no apologies, there’s no sorrys. We gave it everything we had, and it wasn’t good enough. That’s part of life.”

The Dodgers hit under .100 with runners in scoring position during the postseason.

They wasted multiple opportunities over the final four innings. Trailing 5-4 in the sixth, the Dodgers had a runner in scoring position, as well as in the seventh and eighth.

But Max Muncy struck out to end the sixth, Mookie Betts grounded out to end the seventh and Teoscar Hernández struck out to close the eighth. The Dodgers went down in order in the ninth to end their season.

“We got outplayed in all facets,” Roberts said. “Those guys played flawless. Defensively they pitched better than we did, they hit better than we did, they slugged more than we did. You’ve got to sometimes just tip your cap.”

Ohtani and Will Smith slumped badly throughout the Division Series win over Atlanta in four games and the NLCS defeat.

Ohtani’s homer was his first since Aug. 18. Overall, he batted .192 (5 for 26) in eight playoff games with 10 strikeouts, four walks, three RBIs and three runs.

Smith was even worse. The All-Star catcher went 3 for 31 (.097) with nine strikeouts, two doubles, no homers, one walk and two RBIs.

“I know there wasn’t one pitch, one at-bat,” said first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was 0 for 3 with a strikeout on Thursday. “They just outplayed us in the series, which is kind of how it goes. We had our opportunities. We didn’t get the job done.”

Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow retired his first 10 batters — six on strikeouts — while working with a 4-0 lead. But the right-hander was tagged by Jake Bauer’s two-run double in the fourth and David Hamilton’s RBI single that chased Glasnow in the fifth and left Milwaukee trailing 4-3.

Alex Vesia followed reliever Evan Phillips and issued a bases-loaded walk to Bauers, the NLCS MVP, that forced in the tying run in the same inning, when the Dodgers issued four walks and the Brewers stole two bases.

Tanner Scott allowed a two-strike homer to Garrett Mitchell leading off the sixth as Milwaukee went ahead 5-4.

In the ninth, Edwin Díaz got two quick outs before Hamilton, the No. 9 hitter, homered for a 6-4 lead.

“Every facet of the game, if you kind of unpack it, we were bested,” Roberts said.

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