Milwaukee Brewers sweep Dodgers to reach World Series for first time since 1982

The Milwaukee Brewers advanced to the World Series for the first time in 44 years on Thursday after completing a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 6-4 comeback victory.

Milwaukee clinched the National League pennant at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, erasing an early four-run deficit in the final game of the series. Fox News reported that the Brewers are now four wins away from the first World Series title in franchise history. Manager Pat Murphy spoke during an on-field presentation following the Game 4 win on October 15.

The sweep ended the Los Angeles Dodgers' bid for a third consecutive championship. According to NBC News, the Dodgers entered the year as favorites with a $339 million payroll, significantly higher than Milwaukee's $146 million. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told Fox that the Brewers outplayed his team in every category, noting that they hit better, pitched better, and avoided mistakes.

NBC News reported that the Dodgers' season was hampered by injuries to superstar Shohei Ohtani, who began dealing with knee and bicep issues in June. The injuries eventually forced him to stop pitching in July and appeared to impact his hitting. The Dodgers' team batting average fell from .257 in the regular season to .188 during the postseason.

The victory highlighted a historical link to Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito, who was the Brewers' bat boy during their last World Series appearance in 1982. Fox News noted that Zito was mentored by then-manager Harry Dalton. Zito, who later led the Panthers to consecutive Stanley Cups, credited Dalton with encouraging him to pursue a career in sports management.

Background

The Milwaukee Brewers last reached the World Series in 1982, when they played in a seven-game series. This victory ends a streak of World Series wins for players named Will Smith and stops the Dodgers' attempt to be the first team to win three straight titles since the 2000 New York Yankees.