Dodgers Steal Home Field Advantage in NLCS Game 1 as Blake Snell Dominates

Oct 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during game one of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off the NLCS with a 2-1 win against the Milwaukee Brewers, stealing home-field advantage through the series.

Blake Snell started off the game for the Dodgers and had another dominant performance, lowering his ERA to a microscopic mark of 0.86 through his three postseason starts.

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The Brewers started the game with southpaw Aaron Ashby on the mound, but after one walk and one strikeout in the first inning, right-hander Quinn Priester took over in the second, going four total innings, allowing three hits and three walks.

In the top of the fourth inning, third baseman Max Muncy had one out and bases loaded when he nearly launched a grand slam, but center fielder Sal Frelick brought in the fly ball after it bounced off his glove, off the wall, and back into the glove. It wasn’t considered a catch, but instead a live ball, and the throw home arrived before Teoscar Hernández slid in from third base. Afterwards, Brewers catcher William Contreras went over to tag third base, securing the double play on the force out.

For a further explanation on the play, click here.

In the top of the sixth inning, however, after Chad Patrick replaced Quinn Priester for Milwaukee, Freddie Freeman sent one to the outfield wall that wouldn't be caught, traveling 362 feet for a solo home run. The 2024 World Series MVP tattooed the ball with a 107.8 mph exit velocity on the sixth pitch of the at-bat.

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Snell came back out for the bottom of the eighth inning, already at 91 pitches, but furthered a brilliant performance, ending the game with his 10th strikeout (a postseason career-high) on his 103rd pitch. Snell allowed no walks or earned runs and just one hit, generating 22 swings-and-misses in the process.

Blake Snell with another postseason GEM in a Dodgers uniform, going 8 innings to kick off the NLCS.

10 strikeouts (His postseason career high)
22 whiffs
0 walks
0 Earned Runs
1 hit
103 pitches

Unbelievable stuff from Snellzillapic.twitter.com/lZccO9yNN2

— Gabe Smallson (@gabesmallson) October 14, 2025

In the top of the ninth inning, a leadoff walk by Muncy and a single by Kiké Hernández put runners on first and second, and an Andy Pages bunt advanced them. Ohtani was intentionally walked with one out and Mookie Betts stepped up to the plate with bases loaded.

Betts drew a walk to extend the lead to 2-0.

Alex Call flew out and Freeman hit a ball to the warning track to take the Dodgers to the bottom of the ninth inning with right-hander Roki Sasaki set to close out the game.

The rookie generated a flyout, walked the next batter, and allowed a ground-rule double after that to put runners on second and third. Outfielder Jackson Chourio hit a sac-fly to make the score 2-1 with Christian Yelich up next.

Sasaki walked Yelich to put runners at the corners and was taken out for Blake Treinen, who walked the first batter he saw to load the bases.

Treinen would strike out the next batter with a 95.4 mph offering to generate swing and a miss to secure the win in a game that went down to the wire.

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