Shohei Ohtani hits 3 homers, dominates on mound in Dodgers’ clinching 5-1 NLCS win over Brewers

By GREG BEACHAM LOS ANGELES AP Shohei Ohtani has propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages Ohtani hit three mammoth home runs and pitched two-hit shutout ball into the seventh inning and the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers out of the NL Championship Series with a - supremacy in Championship on Friday night The Dodgers will have a chance to be baseball s first repeat World Series champions in a quarter-century after this mind-blowing night for the three-time MVP Ohtani who emphatically ended a quiet postseason by his lofty standards After striking out three in the top of the first Ohtani hit the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in major league history off Brewers starter Jos Quintana Ohtani followed with a -foot blast in the fourth inning clearing the left-field pavilion above the bleachers in left field Ohtani added a third solo shot in the seventh becoming the th participant in major league history to hit three homers in a playoff meeting His three homers traveled a combined feet Ohtani - also thoroughly dominated the Brewers in his second career postseason mound start fanning for his first double-digit strikeout meeting in a Dodgers uniform After the Brewers first two batters reached in the seventh he left the mound to a stadium-shaking ovation and after Alex Vesia escaped the jam Ohtani celebrated by hitting his third homer in the bottom half The powerhouse Dodgers are the first crew to win back-to-back pennants since Philadelphia in Los Angeles is back in the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons and it will attempt to become baseball s first repeat champs since the New York Yankees won three straight World Series from to After capping a - rampage through the NL playoffs with this singular performance by Ohtani the Dodgers are headed to the World Series for the rd time in franchise history including pennants since moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles Only the New York Yankees last year s opponent have made more appearances in the Fall Classic Los Angeles will have a week off before the World Series begins next Friday either in Toronto or at Dodger Stadium against Seattle The Mariners beat the Blue Jays - earlier Friday to take a - lead in the ALCS which continues Sunday at Rogers Centre The Dodgers had never swept an NLCS in previous appearances but they became only the fifth squad to sweep this series while thoroughly dominating a -win Milwaukee club Los Angeles is the first crew to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series since and the first to sweep an NLCS since Washington in The NL Central champion Brewers were eliminated by the Dodgers for the third time during their current stretch of seven playoff appearances in eight years Even after setting a franchise record with wins this season Milwaukee is still waiting for its first World Series appearance since The Brewers had never been swept in a playoff series longer than a best-of-three but their bats fell silent in the NLCS against the Dodgers brilliant starting rotation Los Angeles four starters combined to pitch innings with two earned runs allowed and strikeouts Related Articles Mariners a win from first World Series beat Blue Jays on Su rez s grand slam for - ALCS lead In trial testimony former Angels VP denies knowing staffer was providing illicit drugs to players Guerrero Springer sparks Blue Jays cut Mariners ALCS lead to - with - rout SF Giants Bailey Webb named Gold Glove finalists years after Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs shocking death trial against ball club begins The Dodgers added two more runs in the first after Ohtani s tone-setting homer with Mookie Betts and Will Smith both singling and scoring Jackson Chourio doubled leading off the fourth for Milwaukee s first hit but Ohtani stranded him with a groundout and two strikeouts Struggling Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen allowed two more baserunners in the eighth and Caleb Durbin scored when Brice Turang beat out his prospective double-play grounder before Anthony Banda ended the inning Roki Sasaki pitched the ninth