Dodgers hit first in Championship Series with great Blake Snell

Blake Snell is giving the Dodgers exactly what they hoped for when they signed him as a free agent to a $182 million mega-contract. The left-hander has become the most dominant arm in the Major League Baseball playoffs, and he proved it again on Monday night in Milwaukee.

In the start of the National League Championship Series, Snell pitched eight scoreless innings with just one hit, Freddie Freeman homered, and the Dodgers bullpen escaped a bases-loaded threat in the ninth inning to win 2-1 over the Brewers.

Just as they did in the Division Series when they won Game 1 in Philadelphia, the Dodgers struck back with authority on the road. The Brewers were the best team in the regular season in the Big Top, but Snell made them look harmless, including 10 strikeouts in eight innings.

Blake Snell was unhittable in Milwaukee

Snell (3-0 in these playoffs) pitched masterfully from start to finish. The only hit he allowed was a single by Caleb Durbin in the third inning, whom he then caught off base. The Brewers simply couldn't figure out the experienced left-hander, who didn't issue a single walk and was especially effective with his changeup.

But Roki Sasaki, the Japanese rookie who has been the Dodgers' revelation in these playoffs, ran into trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning with a 2-0 lead. Milwaukee scored a run and later loaded the bases dangerously against Blake Treinen, however, the experienced reliever struck out Brice Turang to preserve the lead and make the best-of-seven series 1-0 in favor of the reigning MLB champions.

The game turned into a tremendous pitching duel. In the sixth inning, the bat of Freddie Freeman, a World Series hero who had not hit a home run or driven in a run this postseason, woke up. Freeman connected against Chad Patrick, the Brewers' third pitcher,and sent the ball over the right-center field wall for a 1-0 lead.

Golden Horse Run and Beer Festival Reaction

The Dodgers scored a golden run in the top of the ninth inning when Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Max Muncy against Milwaukee closer Abner Uribe. This came after the home team had intentionally walked Shohei Ohtani with first base unoccupied.

The same thing happened in the decisive Game 4 of the Division Series between Los Angeles and Philadelphia, when the Dodgers tied the score by making the opposition pay for choosing Betts instead of Ohtani.

Sasaki had pitched three perfect innings against the Phillies in his previous outing, but this time he struggled to get his splitter into the strike zone. After getting the first out, he issued a walk and allowed a double to Jake Bauers.

Jackson Chourio's deep sacrifice fly to center drove in Milwaukee's first run. Sasaki then issued another walk, to Christian Yelich, and manager Dave Roberts decided to make a pitching change.

Treinen loaded the bases by walking William Contreras, but the right-hander came from behind to strike out by swinging at Turang after he nearly hit him in the leg, which would have forced in the tying run.

From potential grand slam to double play

An unusual play occurred in the fourth inning when the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out and were threatening to pull away. Max Muncy hit a line drive to center that threatened to go wide. Outfielder Sal Frelick jumped for the wall but couldn't catch the ball, which hit his glove and then the wall before being caught by the player himself. The ball remained live.

However, the runner on third base, Teoscar Hernandez, was slow to run because he had to wait to see if the play was out, and was thrown out at home for a force out. Then, catcher Contreras ran to third base to throw out another runner, confusing the visiting players.

Shohei Ohtani drew three walks in the game, two intentional, but was hitless in two at-bats and is now batting .138 in the playoffs. Ohtani, Betts, and Hernandez combined to go 0 for 9 on Monday.

Scheduled for Game 2 on Tuesday (5:08 p.m. PT) are Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Los Angeles and Freddy Peralta for Milwaukee.

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