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The Milwaukee Brewers completed a stunning comeback in the 2026 National League Championship Series, erasing a 4-0 deficit in Game 4 at Dodger Stadium to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers and secure their first World Series appearance since 1982. The Dodgers had swept the Brewers in the 2025 NLCS on their way to a second consecutive World Series title, but Milwaukee turned the tables this time.
Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell were the catalysts for the Brewers, just as they had been in Game 3 when they hit back-to-back home runs. In the series-clinching Game 4, the duo drove in four of Milwaukee's six runs. After the Dodgers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, Bauers halved the deficit with a ground-rule double in the fourth inning. He then tied the game at 4 in the fifth with a bases-loaded walk, registering his sixth RBI of the series. Mitchell followed with a dramatic solo home run in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
Bauers' journey to this moment was improbable. Following a 2024 season in which he batted just .199 over 116 games and seriously considered retirement, few in Milwaukee could have foreseen such a pivotal performance on this stage. As Bauers explained to the MLB on Fox crew after the win, his decision to continue playing was influenced by practical concerns: "The only thing that brought me back was that my wife got pregnant and I was like, 'Well, we need health insurance.'"
Bauers finished the NLCS with four hits, two of which went for extra bases, three walks, and six RBI, earning him NLCS MVP honors. His remarkable turnaround from the brink of retirement to postseason hero has captivated the baseball world.
Key Analysis
Bauers' story is a testament to perseverance and the unpredictable nature of sports. After a 2024 campaign that nearly ended his career, he seized an opportunity and delivered when it mattered most. The Brewers' ability to rally from a four-run deficit against a powerhouse Dodgers team underscores their resilience and depth. As Milwaukee advances to the World Series for the first time in over four decades, Bauers' contributions will be remembered as a defining factor in their historic run.
Originally reported by yardbarker.