MLB: L.A. versus Boston – Dodgers back in the World Series!

The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached the World Series for the second time in a row! The Californian team beat Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 in game 7 of the National League Championship Series, with rookie starter Walker Buehler convincing at the start and Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig providing the necessary offense.

Before the Dodgers got their game and audience under control, it was Christian Yelich who gave the Brewers and their fans hope. The potential MVP of the National League beat a home run against Walker Buehler, who found his groove and didn’t allow much more.

In return, however, Cody Bellinger provided a fitting answer: After a rare colorful single by Manny Machado, the Center Fielder hit a 2-run homerun on the top floor of Right Field for a 2:1 lead for the guests. Yasiel Puig added another double, but then Brewers starter Jhoulys Chacin caught up again, but was already replaced after the second inning.

For the Brewers Super-Lefty took over Josh Hader and served three Shutout-Innings (H, 4 SO). However, Buehler kept the Brewers opense in check and held out until the second out in the fifth inning, before the Dodgers Bullpen took over and put zeros on the scoreboard. Perhaps the most important out was Lefty Jose Urias, who in the fifth inning with runner on second base scored the final out against Yelich – with the active help of Chris Taylor, who put down a remarkable catch in the left field to prevent the equalizer.

How important this was was immediately apparent in the sixth frame, because after singles by Max Muncy and Justin Turner, it was Yasiel Puig who set Jeremy Jeffress 5:1 with his 3-Run-Homerun and finally brought the Dodgers on the winning track.

Pitching technically Ryan Madson tore off 1 2/3 innings (H, 2 SO) for L.A. before Closer Kenley took over Jansen at the end of the seventh inning and pitched until the end of the eighth (1 1/3 IP, 3 SO). The ninth inning was finally pitched by Ace Clayton Kershaw (IP, 2 SO), who sealed the victory and the 23rd NL Pennant for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are now in the World Series for the 20th time and will face the Boston Red Sox, who beat the Houston Astros in five games, on Tuesday. The Dodgers have won the World Series six times so far, but most recently in 1988.

Cody Bellinger (1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI) with his 2-Run-Homerun in the second inning provided a perfect answer to the early lead of the Brewers and at the same time calmed down the frenetic audience in Miller Park. He put his team on the winning track and finally made Puig’s 3-Run-Shot possible in the sixth inning, because he prevented the supposed double play at the end of the inning with his sprint to the first base. In addition, Bellinger was also elected MVP of the NLCS.

Also worth mentioning: Puig (3-4, 3 RBI), who had the biggest hit of the evening and was finally a triple away from the cycle. But his defense in right field sometimes looked adventurous and allowed the Brewers two hits that wouldn’t have been necessary.

Maybe Brewers manager Craig Counsell should be named here, because he made Jeffress’s life harder than it should have been. Instead of changing him directly to the start of the sixth inning, Counsell first brought left-handed Xavier Xedeno for the At-Bat against left-handed Max Muncy. He hit a single, so Jeffress came in with a runner on base instead of empty bases. But then he handed over a single to Justin Turner, the Fielder’s Choice to Bellinger and the bomb to Puig, which actually decided the game.

This article was published without prior review by Major League Baseball.