Powered by Puig, Dodgers muscle their way back to the World Series
Game 7 slugging and a little bit of swagger gave the Dodgers the lead they needed to finally get past the Brewers and return to the Fall Classic.
2018 ScheduleAll times ET
2018 Schedule
96-67, 1st in NL Cent
Machado, Puig embrace their villain roles all the way to World Series
The Dodgers' sluggers fed off the boos they received in the NLCS, drawing fans' ire while ending Milwaukee's postseason hopes.
In the end, Dodgers' talent trumps Brewers' moves
Milwaukee took the series as far as it could get on smart tactics, but it couldn't dim L.A.'s star power in the NLCS.
Dodgers head back to World Series after Game 7 win (1:00)
Roberts reflects on winning NLCS and facing his former team (2:00)
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman: "This is a team that doesn't have ‘easy' in the playbook. We like to do things the hard way. But it's an extremely talented group, and one who's really, extremely focused on winning four more games and winning a World Series championship."
Did the Brewers' bullpen magic finally run out? (2:02)
Dan Mullen ESPN.com
Powered by home runs from Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig, the Dodgers downed the Brewers in Game 7 to win the NL pennant. The 5-1 final was the same score that L.A. lost to Houston by in World Series Game 7 last fall.
Dodgers beat Brewers in Game 7, face Red Sox in World Series
Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer, Chris Taylor made a key catch and the Los Angeles Dodgers reached the World Series for the second straight year, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 on Saturday night in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series.
Dan Mullen ESPN.com
And the L.A. celebration is on in Milwaukee as the Dodgers clinch their second straight World Series trip with a 5-1 Game 7 victory.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
The Dodgers beat the Brewers, 5-1, in Game 7 of the NLCS, advancing to their second consecutive World Series. They are only the sixth team in history to fall 10 games below .500 and reach the final round in the same season. Clayton Kershaw got the last three outs, but may still start Game 1 opposite Chris Sale.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Clayton Kershaw will pitch the ninth inning and look to send his team back to the World Series.
Dan Mullen ESPN.com
Yasiel Puig's bat has sucked the energy out of Miller Park as his three-run homer pushes the Dodgers' NLCS Game 7 lead to 5-1 with the Brewers quickly running out of outs left in their season.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Yasiel Puig raised both hands over his head and pleaded for noise from a dispirited Miller Park crowd. His two-out, three-run homer in the sixth has given the Dodgers a 5-1 lead, with Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen looming.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Walker Buehler has allowed five hits, but only one run, through the first four innings, striking out six. The Dodgers lead, 2-1, and Buehler's spot is up third.
Puig comes inches from robbing HR (0:28)
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Josh Hader is in to begin the third. Dave Roberts will replace one of his LHHs (Joc Pederson) with Kiké Hernandez, but the other (Max Muncy) will remain in the game.
Dan Mullen ESPN.com
After pinch-hitting for Jhoulys Chacin in the second inning, the Brewers look are putting their Game 7 hopes in Josh Hader's hands very earlier in this winner-take-all matchup.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Craig Counsell, raised in Milwaukee, has vivid memories of the 1982 Brewers team that advanced to the World Series and his superstitions — "routines," he insists — around them. He walked the right-field ramp at County Stadium in the seventh inning every time his team needed runs, including when Cecil Cooper came up with the game-winning two-run single in the decisive Game 5 of the ALCS. "I thought I was very lucky at that time," Counsell said. "That was the spot. I'd found the spot."
Dan Mullen ESPN.com
They're serious about their boos here in Milwaukee, as fans are even booing Manny Machado as the Dodgers shortstop takes batting practice before NLCS Game 7.
Dan Mullen ESPN.com
The Brewers are on the field getting ready for the first Game 7 in Miller Park history. In fact, the city of Milwaukee hasn't hosted a baseball Game 7 since the then Milwaukee Braves lost to the Yankees in the final game of the 1958 World Series.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he is "very willing" to turn to Clayton Kershaw today, though he isn't sure how much he can provide. "It's hard to see a scenario where he isn't part of this game," Roberts said.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Other relievers will surely favor in, but tonight, I think, is basically Jhoulys Chacín, Josh Hader and Corey Knebel versus Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen. And I'm not sure which I would prefer.
Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will stack two lefties at the top of his lineup, first Joc Pederson and then Max Muncy. Cody Bellinger will play CF, Yasiel Puig is in RF and Chris Taylor starts at 2B. Austin Barnes remains behind the plate for Walker Buehler.
Everything you need to know about NLCS Game 7
Cancel your Saturday night plans. One team -- the defending NL champion Dodgers or the NL Central champion Brewers -- will battle Boston in the World Series.
2018 NL Central Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 96 | 67 | .589 | - | W8 |
| Chicago | 95 | 68 | .583 | 1 | L1 |
| St. Louis | 88 | 74 | .543 | 7.5 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh | 82 | 79 | .509 | 13 | W1 |
| Cincinnati | 67 | 95 | .414 | 28.5 | L1 |
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2018 Team Leaders
- Batting
- Pitching
Batting Average
Home Runs
Runs Batted In
Earned Run Average
Wins
Strikeouts
Team Stats
- Pitching
- Batting
Earned Run Average3.735th
Quality Starts914th
WHIP1.248th
BAA.2335th
Runs75412th
Batting Average.25212th
On Base Percentage.32312th
Slugging Percentage.4249th