Kristina Roberts
The night was electric at American Family Field in Milwaukee, but as Tommy Edman sent an RBI single into right field during the eighth inning, silence spread through the crowd. The Los Angeles Dodgers had just taken a 5-1 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The home fans, who had been full of excitement just moments ago, watched in disbelief as their team fell behind the defending World Series champions.
The Dodgers showed once again why they are one of the most powerful teams in baseball. Coming into this NLCS, Los Angeles was seen as the favorite to win, even though the Brewers had the best record in the regular season. But after two games, it was clear why many believed the Dodgers were the stronger side — they simply looked unstoppable.
Tuesday night belonged to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers’ star pitcher. With every pitch, he showed calmness, control, and confidence. When he struck out Andrew Vaughn in the ninth inning to end the game, it wasn’t just a victory — it was a statement. Yamamoto had just completed the Dodgers’ first complete game of the year, leading them to a dominant 2-0 advantage in the NLCS.
The crowd may have been quiet, but the message was loud: the Dodgers were serious about getting back to the World Series for the second year in a row.
The performance also came just a day after another stunning display by Blake Snell, who had delivered an eight-inning gem in Game 1. Together, Snell and Yamamoto’s performances showed that the Dodgers’ pitching lineup was firing on all cylinders.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts couldn’t hide his pride after the game. He said, “When you can have your most talented pitchers get the most outs, then you’re in a good spot. Right now, all four of those guys are in a really good head space. Physically, they’re sound. And you feel good about those guys starting a game and pushing them. They’re prepared for this.”
Throughout most of the 2025 regular season, one big question surrounded the Dodgers — could their starting pitchers stay healthy? The team’s pitching rotation looked strong on paper, but injuries often kept players off the mound. Despite their talent, it meant little if the pitchers couldn’t consistently play.
That began to change in August and September. Slowly but surely, the Dodgers’ rotation came together as Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani all returned to full fitness. Once that happened, everything began to click. The team finally looked balanced, confident, and complete.
After the game, first baseman Freddie Freeman perfectly summed up what the whole team felt. He said, “Our starting pitching for the last — you guys would know more — seven, eight weeks, has been … I don’t know if you can write enough words in your stories about our starting pitching. It really has been amazing.”
Freeman’s words painted a clear picture — this Dodgers team was built around strength, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure.
Yamamoto’s Game 2 performance will likely be remembered for years. It didn’t begin perfectly — his first pitch of the night was hit for a home run by Brewers star Jackson Chourio. The crowd exploded with joy as Milwaukee took an early lead, and it seemed like Yamamoto might have a tough night ahead.
But that one moment only made him stronger. After the game, Yamamoto admitted, “I feel regrettable about that home run. But I reset my mind, and then I just focused on executing my pitches.”
From that point onward, he was flawless. He allowed only two more hits throughout the game and retired the last 14 batters he faced. In total, he got all 27 outs by himself — something that’s rare and incredibly difficult in modern baseball.
Yamamoto became the first Dodgers pitcher to throw a complete game in the postseason since José Lima in the 2004 National League Division Series (NLDS). While Snell had dominated with his strikeouts in Game 1, Yamamoto did it his own way — by keeping the ball low and forcing groundouts. He recorded 15 groundouts in total, allowing him to keep his pitch count efficient and finish the full nine innings with power still left in his arm.
The Dodgers’ success wasn’t just about strong pitching; it was also about confidence, strategy, and trust. Manager Dave Roberts has been praised for keeping faith in his starters, allowing them to go deep into games rather than pulling them out early. That trust clearly paid off.
The Brewers, on the other hand, looked frustrated. Despite having one of the strongest records in the regular season, they found it difficult to break through against Los Angeles’ pitching. Their batters couldn’t find rhythm, and the Dodgers’ defense remained sharp throughout both games.
Even though Milwaukee’s crowd tried to cheer their team on, the Dodgers’ calmness under pressure silenced them again and again. By the eighth inning, when Tommy Edman’s RBI single made the score 5-1, it felt like the final blow.
For the Dodgers, every player seemed to understand their role perfectly. The chemistry between the pitchers, the fielders, and the batters was evident. They played like a team that had been here before — and they had.
Last season, they won the World Series. This year, they seem determined to do it again. Their focus, discipline, and energy all point in one direction: another championship.
But what makes this Dodgers team truly special is not just their talent — it’s their unity. From Yamamoto’s quiet confidence to Freeman’s leadership, the players believe in one another. They celebrate each other’s success, stay calm through mistakes, and never lose sight of the bigger goal.
As the Dodgers prepare for Game 3, they will carry this same mindset — one of focus and belief. The Brewers, meanwhile, have a big challenge ahead. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit against such a strong and organized team won’t be easy.
Still, in baseball, anything can happen. One good game can change momentum completely. But if the Dodgers continue playing like this, they might not just win the series — they could dominate it completely.
As Freeman said, “It really has been amazing.” And for fans watching across the world, it truly has been.
