Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-13 · by Steve Megargee The Associated Press
In a surprising turn of events during Monday's National League Championship Series game, Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled mightily against the Milwaukee Brewers, lasting just 2 2/3 innings before being pulled from the game. This marked his shortest postseason appearance ever and was in stark contrast to his previous undefeated record (8-1) with a 2.14 ERA across 11 career playoff starts. The Brewers capitalized on Yamamoto’s high pitch count, leading to key hits that shifted the momentum of the game and helped them secure a 7-4 victory, putting the Dodgers' quest for a third consecutive championship in jeopardy with the series now trailing 2-0.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
William Contreras hit a tying home run in the fifth and an RBI single in the sixth as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, taking a 2-0 series lead. The Dodgers' offense struggled, managing just three hits and going 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who started for the Dodgers, was pulled after pitching 2⅔ innings and giving up four runs on four hits. Despite Los Angeles tacking on three more runs after his departure, they couldn't match the Brewers' performance, leaving them needing a significant turnaround to avoid elimination in Game 3. The Dodgers last rallied from a 2-0 deficit in 2020 when they won the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves before winning the World Series. Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith combined for an 0-for-8 day at the plate, further highlighting the offensive struggles of the team. Milwaukee's bullpen retired all 15 batters they faced after Contreras’s home run, showcasing their dominance in relief pitching. The Brewers now have a chance to advance to their first World Series since 1982 if they can win one more game against the Dodgers.
Written for “Brewers vs Dodgers NLCS Game 2” on 2026-10-13,
grounded in this article and the 10 other(s) covering the same event.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto finally flopped in a playoff game, and now the Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back home with their bid for a third straight championship in serious jeopardy.
asserted
bid → flop → jeopardy
Yamamoto lasted just 2 2/3 innings for his shortest postseason start as the Dodgers lost 7-4 to Milwaukee on Monday to fall behind 2-0 in the National League Championship Series.
asserted
Dodgers → last → Series
The Brewers continually fouled off pitches and drove up Yamamoto’s pitch count before knocking him out of the game.
asserted
Brewers → foul → game
“I don’t know the exact reason yet,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter.
asserted
Yamamoto → know → interpreter
“I need to check the videos and then I can reflect on what happened today.”
asserted
what → need → videos
Yamamoto, the 2025 World Series MVP, entered 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career postseason appearances.
asserted
Yamamoto → enter → appearances
In Game 2 of the Dodgers’ NLCS sweep of Milwaukee last season, Yamamoto threw a three-hitter and pitched the first playoff complete game since Houston’s Justin Verlander threw one in 2017.
asserted
Verlander → throw → 2017
In three previous postseason starts following Dodgers losses, Yamamoto had gone 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA.
asserted
Yamamoto → follow → ERA
The Dodgers were banking on him to deliver another gem to tie the NLCS as they continue their quest to become the first NL team to win three straight World Series.
asserted
they → bank → Series
“I think everybody’s so used to him being a robot that if he didn’t go eight innings, no hits, whatever, it wasn’t Yamamoto,” Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts said.
asserted
Betts → think → innings
“It shows he’s a human being and it’s playoff baseball.”
asserted
it → show → ?
Yamamoto was unable to protect two Los Angeles leads in the first three innings.
asserted
Yamamoto → protect → innings
After the Dodgers scored in the top of the first, Milwaukee tied the game in the bottom half when Yamamoto allowed a one-out double to Brice Turang and William Contreras followed with an RBI single.
asserted
Contreras → score → single
The turning point of Yamamoto’s night came in the third.
asserted
point → come → third
The Brewers trailed 2-1 but had runners on first and second with two outs when Jake Bauers stepped to the plate.
asserted
Bauers → trail → plate
Bauers worked the count full and then fouled off six straight pitches from Yamamoto before capping his 12-pitch plate appearance with a walk that loaded the bases.
asserted
that → work → bases
“It was a blast, honestly,” Bauers said.
asserted
Bauers → say → ?
Any time you can get that locked in doing anything, it’s to me one of the most enjoyable experiences I think a human being can have.”
asserted
being → lock → experiences
It wasn’t very enjoyable for Yamamoto, particularly after Christian Yelich came up next and lined a two-run single to center.
asserted
Yelich → come → center
Yelich’s hit put Milwaukee ahead 3-2 and knocked Yamamoto out of the game.
asserted
hit → put → game
Yamamoto ended up allowing two walks and four hits while striking out only one batter.
asserted
Yamamoto → end → batter
He threw 75 pitches, including 36 in the third inning.
asserted
He → throw → inning
“He just didn’t have it tonight, which is very rare,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
asserted
Roberts → have → it
The Dodgers pulled back ahead 4-3 in the fifth, but they couldn’t maintain the lead and then Los Angeles’ lineup had no answers for Milwaukee’s bullpen.
asserted
lineup → pull → bullpen
Milwaukee relievers Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined to retire Los Angeles’ last 15 batters, continuing the Dodgers’ postseason slump.
uncertain
May → combine → slump
Los Angeles got just three hits Monday and is 2 for 26 with runners in scoring position during the playoffs.
asserted
Angeles → get → playoffs
Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani hit his last homer way back on Aug. 18.
asserted
Ohtani → hit → Aug.
If the Dodgers don’t start hitting, Yamamoto might not get another opportunity to pitch this postseason.
“Our job now is to win several games and give him another chance,” third baseman Max Muncy said, “because I know that next time out he’s going to dominate.”
uncertain
he → start → chance
The Aporia
