LOS ANGELES — Any thoughts of the Brewers completing a historic win streak to close the season with a World Series title ended Saturday night as Kenley Jansen escaped ninth-inning trouble in Game 2 of the NLCS to finish a Dodgers comeback victory.
The World Series title is still in play for these underdog Brewers, but Monday — for the first time since Sept. 23 — they will arrive for a game coming off a loss. And unlike the NLDS, in which they steamrolled the Rockies, manager Craig Counsell’s crew is finally in a postseason dogfight.
In these Dodgers they find a tested group that is playing in the NLCS for a third straight year and certainly familiar with the sound of 50,000 roaring fans at Dodger Stadium, where Game 3 is set for Monday night. It will be business as usual for the Dodgers in a 1-1 series.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to go to the NLCS the last [three] years and had great moments going to the World Series last year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “And even after the season, you still kind of get ready for the next year.
“I am trying to appreciate the moment and the opportunity and the gratitude. But I think the players, managers and the coaches are very conscious of keeping their edge and focus and you don’t want to lose that.”
The Brewers were close to taking a 2-0 NLCS lead and 13-game winning streak to Southern California, but their talented bullpen failed in a big spot, with Justin Turner’s two-run homer against Jeremy Jeffress in the eighth bringing in the decisive runs in the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Jeffress, who has struggled in this postseason, offered some bulletin board material in the aftermath.
“[Turner] just got lucky,” Jeffress said. “It’s a lucky hit, man. It just is.”
Counsell has extended his bullpen in the first two games, but at least is expected to have lefty Josh Hader back in the mix for Game 3. Hader pitched three shutout innings in Game 1 that removed him from consideration a day later.
The Brewers have their ace, Jhoulys Chacin, on the mound for the start. The Dodgers will start rookie Walker Buehler, who struggled in his NLDS outing against the Braves.
“I would say Atlanta, the outing didn’t go the way we wanted it to,” said Buehler, who allowed five earned runs over five innings in Game 3 of the NLDS. “You could say there was a little bit of nerves and anxiety, but that happens. My first time there, I think I handled it fine. My heartbeat, I felt good with. And I was more upset about the kind of decision to throw certain pitches.”
Turner, the former Mets backup infielder who has become the Dodgers’ version of Mr. October, is the player the Brewers can’t let beat them again.
Roberts was asked what he remembers about Turner as an opponent.
“My first impression, coach with the Padres and [Turner] was a platoon guy, bench guy, utility guy with the Mets,” Roberts said. “He was always taking grounders and moving on the field. Very jovial, outgoing and was always on the bench chattering and we had a little banter.
“I always liked him from the other side and it was good to see him start to be a centerpiece. As he’s grown he’s been a guy that can do whatever I’ve asked or whatever we needed as a ballclub.”
