Man, Game 1 of the NLCS was exactly what everyone expected: a low-scoring grinder where the Brewers only needed a pair of runs to snatch it. Talk about a tough start for the Dodgers, especially after they got Jacob Misiorowski out of the game early, something you’d usually high-five about. This loss must sting, but honestly, there’s a serious glass-half-full vibe coming from this complicated series opener.
Offense on Base, Just Not on the Board: What Gives?
The Dodgers’ offense was a head-scratcher. They reached base a whopping 13 times, combining walks and hits, which is actually more often than in any of their three wins against the Braves in the NLCS! They even had at least one guy on base in eight of the nine innings. But here’s the kicker: that traffic amounted to next to nothing. The issues with runners in scoring position totally carried over from earlier in the postseason. And get this: unlike their series against the Braves, the power totally vanished, with all seven of their hits being just singles. Seriously, no thump at all. The Brewers leaned on three clutch double plays, bailing them out of serious jams, including a bases-loaded situation in the second inning. That’s just brutal luck, or maybe just some really untimely hitting.
One-Off Power Outage? Dodgers’ Bats Set to Explode
Despite the frustration, that kind of consistent threat against the Brewers’ best pitching? That’s actually a pretty encouraging sign. The Dodgers could’ve easily put up more runs without the big power numbers if those timely double plays hadn’t happened. And about that power outage: it’s extremely plausible this was a one-off scenario. This offense has more than nine hitters who can absolutely punish a mistake, no matter how phenomenal the Brewers’ pitching might be. Looking at the individual guys, Shohei Ohtani got his occasional hit here and there. But Will Smith, who’s been a core piece, is definitely in a slump; he didn’t record a hit, even though he hit the ball hard in all three of his at-bats. Our regular season’s most disappointing hitter, Kyle Tucker, looked totally locked in! Even without a hit, his quality at-bats were impressive, including a couple of walks against Misiorwoski and Trevor Megill. It’s clear manager Dave Roberts respects the Brewers’ bullpen, evident in his righty/lefty approach through the entire lineup. The expectation is simple: the Dodgers’ offense will do more with less, maybe even as early as Game 2.
Get ready for Game 2, folks. The Dodgers just showed they can get on base against anyone, and the next step is turning those opportunities into runs. If that power finally shows up, or if the Brewers can’t turn double plays every critical moment, this series is going to get wild. We’re all looking forward to seeing this offense start punishing some mistakes.
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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