Blake Snell allowed just one hit over eight scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 2-1 victory when the Milwaukee Brewers left the bases loaded in the ninth inning of the National League Championship Series opener on Monday.
Freddie Freeman hit a solo homer in the sixth inning and Los Angeles increased the lead to 2-0 in the top of the ninth when Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk.
Roki Sasaki replaced Snell to open the bottom of the ninth and issued a one-out walk to Isaac Collins. Jake Bauers followed with a pinch-hit ground-rule double to center, forcing Collins to halt at third. Jackson Chourio followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 2-1.
Christian Yelich walked before Blake Treinen took over on the mound and walked William Contreras to load the bases. Treinen then fanned Brice Turang swinging on a 2-2 fastball for the save.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday in Milwaukee.
Snell (3-0) allowed only a leadoff single in the third to Caleb Durbin, and then, one out later, picked him off first. Snell struck out 10 and did not walk a batter in a 103-pitch outing.
Freeman snapped a scoreless tie in the sixth with his first homer of the postseason, a one-out solo shot to right on a 3-2 pitch from Chad Patrick (0-1).
The Brewers escaped a bases-loaded situation in the fourth with a bizarre inning-ending double play.
Bulk reliever Quinn Priester walked Teoscar Hernandez to open the frame, and Will Smith and Tommy Edman delivered consecutive one-out singles.
Max Muncy then sent a deep fly that center fielder Sal Frelick deflected high off the wall and back into his glove, forcing the runners to delay. Shortstop Joey Ortiz fired the relay home for a force-out. Catcher Contreras then ran to third and tagged the bag for another force-out.
The Brewers escaped again in the fifth when Enrique Hernandez hit a leadoff double and Shohei Ohtani was walked intentionally with one out. Betts then bounced into another inning-ending double play.
The Dodgers' ninth-inning run came off Abner Uribe, who gave up one hit and walked three in his lone frame. Six pitchers worked for the Brewers, including Priester, who threw four shutout innings.
Milwaukee went 6-0 in the regular season against the Dodgers, sweeping home-and-away three-game series.
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