The Los Angeles Dodgers just got absolutely gutted, swept right out of the NLCS by the Milwaukee Brewers, and pitcher Tarik Skubal didn’t mince words about the gut-wrenching difficulty of winning at the highest level. After Thursday night’s season-ending loss, which handed the Brewers their first World Series appearance since 1982, Skubal told reporters it’s “so hard to win” when asked about playoff victories.
This Collapse Has Roots All The Way Back to ’66
This isn’t just any sweep, folks. The Dodgers hadn’t been swept in a best-of-seven playoff series since the 1966 World Series. Think about that for a second. They *led* at one point in all four games against Milwaukee, which makes the ending even more brutal. What truly crushed them was the late innings: the Brewers outscored Los Angeles a staggering 10-2 between innings six through nine. And talk about failing to execute: the Dodgers couldn’t buy a hit with a runner in scoring position, going a dismal 4-of-27 in those crucial situations. It’s tough to watch when the bats just go silent with men on.
Skubal’s Stats Were Solid, But Ohtani’s Homer Couldn’t Save Them
Thursday’s loss felt particularly crushing because Los Angeles actually got a highlight moment from Shohei Ohtani. He blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the second, giving the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. It was his first home run since August 18th, a moment that felt like it *had* to spark something. But guess what? Those were the last runs the Dodgers scored in the game. Milwaukee promptly scored six unanswered runs to seal the deal. Skubal, for his part, did what he could over two playoff starts, allowing three runs on seven hits with 14 strikeouts across 11 innings. But in the end, it wasn’t enough to push their quest for a third straight World Series title. This means the 1998-2000 New York Yankees remain the last MLB team to win three consecutive World Series championships. Skubal summed it up perfectly, saying, “It’s extremely difficult. There’s a lot of really good teams, a lot really talented players across the league. It’s so hard to win. Seeing what the Dodgers have done the last two years, you think it’s easy, but it’s really not.” That’s the cold, hard truth of October baseball, right there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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