Brilliant Brewers reach first World Series since 1982 as Dodgers blow 4-0 lead

Garrett Mitchell hit a go-ahead homer off reliever Tanner Scott in the sixth inning, Milwaukee’s bullpen slammed the door late and the Brewers rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to earn their first trip to the World Series since 1982.

No 9 hitter David Hamilton’s two-out solo shot off Edwin Díaz gave the Brewers a two-run cushion in the ninth. Hamilton had just four homers in the regular season.

Shohei Ohtani’s first home run of the postseason helped put the Dodgers 4-0 ahead early before the Brewers came back to complete a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions a year after getting swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS.

The Brewers lost to the St Louis Cardinals in seven games in their only other World Series appearance, when Milwaukee played in the American League.

With the score tied 4-4, Mitchell fell behind 0-2 before Scott threw three straight balls for a full count. Mitchell’s 409ft leadoff drive to center field – the first homer of his career on an 0-2 count – put the Brewers ahead for the first time. Mitchell also homered in their 6-2 victory on Wednesday.

The Brewers’ bullpen coolly turned away multiple threats when the Dodgers had the potential tying run on base.

JoJo Romero struck out Max Muncy with Kyle Tucker at third to end the sixth. Aaron Ashby, who worked the final three innings for a save, struck out Ohtani swinging and Mookie Betts grounded out with Andy Pages at third to end the seventh. Will Smith doubled to right and was safe at third when the ball got away from Sal Frelick for an error in the eighth before Ashby got Tucker to fly out and Teoscar Hernández to strike out.

The Brewers tied it in the fifth, when the Dodgers bullpen issued four walks and Milwaukee stole two bases. Hamilton’s single chased starter Tyler Glasnow and scored Frelick, who walked and stole second, to pull Milwaukee to 4-3. Alex Vesia came in and promptly walked Brice Turang and William Contreras to load the bases. Vesia then walked Jake Bauers with two outs to force in Hamilton with the tying run.

Glasnow retired his first 10 batters – six on strikeouts – before the Brewers got to him in the fourth. Turang walked, Contreras hit a ground-rule double and Bauers followed with another ground-rule double that closed Milwaukee to 4-2.

Ohtani broke out of his postseason slump with a three-run homer after Pages’ RBI single in the second. The four-time MVP released weeks of pent-up frustration by raising his arms and yelling and the crowd of 49,104 joined him in celebration.