The Dodgers just dropped Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, falling 2-1 to the Brewers on Sunday night in a real gut punch. They left the tying run on base, a brutal finish to a tight game. What a way to start the NLCS, right? But even with the loss, a 21-year-old rookie, Josue De Paula, quietly made some franchise history, showing up big off the bench when it mattered.
Rookie De Paula Steps Up, Makes History
Talk about clutch in the ninth! With two outs and the Dodgers trailing, Kyle Tucker got a walk off Brewers closer Trevor Megill, putting the tying run in scoring position. Then De Paula stepped to the plate, and in just five pitches, he drew a walk of his own. That kept the rally alive, getting Mookie Betts to the plate. Manager Dave Roberts even said after the game that De Paula “’s got a good heartbeat, looks over the ball really well,” and that putting him in gave them “the best chance to get Mookie up to bat.” That says a lot about what they think of the kid.
This wasn’t some fluke, either. It was De Paula’s second game in a row with a pinch-hit walk, with the first keeping the winning rally alive in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Braves just last Wednesday. He’s now just the fourth Dodger ever to record two pinch-hit walks in a single postseason, joining legends like Pete Reiser (1947), Mike Davis (1988), and Max Muncy (2018). The franchise has 55 total pinch-hit walks in the postseason, and this kid is already making his mark. He even lined up at shortstop during an off-day workout before Game 1, showing he is ready for anything.
Skubal’s Struggle and the Left-Handed Curveball
While De Paula was making history, the Brewers got the go-ahead, and ultimately winning, run in the fifth inning off Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal. He needed 26 pitches to get through that frame. The problem? A leadoff walk to Garrett Mitchell to open the inning, who then got bunted to second and scored on a single by Luis Lara. Skubal didn’t mince words after, saying, “The leadoff walk just can’t happen. It gives them the opportunity to create something, and ultimately that’s all they needed today.” He’s not wrong. That one mistake truly cost them.
What’s wild is that going into the series, the Dodgers were projected as favorites by Owen Riley and Maxfield Lane’s Down on the Farm newsletter, mostly because of how they were expected to dominate left-handed pitching. But in Game 1, the Brewers threw two southpaws at them, and it worked. DL Hall induced an inning-ending double play in the fifth, facing only one batter, and Aaron Ashby followed up with two scoreless innings, allowing just one walk. That projected gulf between the lineups against lefties didn’t show up when it counted.
Game 2 is coming fast, and the Dodgers need to figure out how to solve this Brewers pitching staff. Being down 0-1 isn’t where anyone wants to be, especially after a game that felt so winnable. Let’s see if they can adjust and get back into this series.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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