Dodgers Fall Short of a Third Straight World Series Title

The Los Angeles Dodgers wanted to win a third straight World Series, but ESPN reports that their chance ended when the Milwaukee Brewers beat them in the National League Championship Series. For the whole season, people asked whether anyone could beat the Dodgers. After a series in which the Brewers dominated, Milwaukee looks like the new standard. The Brewers outscored the Dodgers 21-9 and hit seven home runs to the Dodgers' one. When Los Angeles scored, the Brewers answered right away.

Manager Dave Roberts said the Brewers outplayed his team in every way. He said they pitched better, hit better and slugged more, and that sometimes you just have to tip your cap.

There were a few moments of frustration. Shohei Ohtani hit a home run in the second inning, his first in almost two months. He was loud and showed a different side from his usually polite manner, shouting and pumping his arms toward teammates and waving to fans. Roberts said there was a lot of pent-up frustration and it was the best ball Ohtani had hit in two or three months. Max Muncy struck out to end the sixth inning and dropped seven pieces of his equipment on the ground.

After the final out, the mood in the clubhouse was calm, ESPN says. There were not many tears. Miguel Rojas, whom Mookie Betts called a big brother to the group, told the team that he is retiring, as expected. Freddie Freeman, Betts and Roberts also spoke, and there was a lot of perspective in the room.

Ohtani said, through his interpreter, that the Brewers were strong and a very good team, and that they exposed some weaknesses in him as a player. Betts said the effort to win three titles in a row was hard, a grind since the team started the season in Korea a couple of years ago. But he said it is part of the game, and part of life. Kiké Hernandez said the Dodgers had high expectations and fell short, but that the team is well placed to keep winning, with many players in the minor leagues who could make a difference.