Brewers Beat Dodgers 7-4 in Game 2, Take 2-0 NLCS Lead
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In brief
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 on October 12, 2026, to take a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series. Catcher William Contreras drove in three runs, and four Milwaukee relievers combined to retire the Dodgers' final 15 batters in order.
The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) on Monday, October 12, 2026, moving ahead 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, according to MLB.com, ESPN and Fox Sports.
Catcher William Contreras was the central figure for Milwaukee, finishing 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs, per Fox Sports. He hit a 436-foot home run to center field off reliever Kris Bubic in the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-4, and added a go-ahead single in the sixth.
How the game unfolded
According to Fox Sports' inning-by-inning account, the Dodgers took a 2-1 lead early, but the Brewers responded in the third inning when Jake Bauers drew a 12-pitch walk to load the bases and Christian Yelich followed with a two-run single that drove Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the game.
ESPN reported that the contest featured repeated lead changes: three times in the first six innings the Dodgers took the lead, only to lose it again in the bottom half of the same inning. In the sixth, David Hamilton was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw before Contreras singled him home for the go-ahead run, Fox Sports said. Brice Turang and Bauers each added RBI singles in the eighth to extend Milwaukee's lead.
Yamamoto's shortest postseason start
Yamamoto, who entered the game with an 8-1 record and a 2.14 ERA in 11 career postseason appearances, lasted only 2 2/3 innings — his shortest postseason start, according to Fox Sports. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said afterward that Yamamoto lacked his usual effectiveness that night, calling it an unusual outing for the right-hander, per Fox Sports.
A record-setting bullpen
Milwaukee's relief corps — Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby — combined to retire the final 15 Dodgers batters they faced, according to Fox Sports. MLB.com and ESPN both described it as the most consecutive perfect relief innings thrown by a team in postseason history, five innings in a row without a Dodgers base runner. Fox Sports noted the Brewers' bullpen has allowed just one earned run across 28 2/3 postseason innings this October.
Keep going, keep going. The goal is not to think about where we're at.
— William Contreras, Brewers catcher, via ESPN
What's next
The series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3, with Milwaukee's Robert Gasser scheduled to start against Los Angeles' Blake Snell on Wednesday, per Fox Sports. The Dodgers are seeking to become the first National League team to win three consecutive championships, according to ESPN.
NLCS Game 2 box-score highlights
Category
Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles Dodgers
Final score
7
4
Series record
2-0
0-2
Starting pitcher
Logan Henderson
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Starter's innings pitched
4+ innings (4 runs allowed, 2 earned)
2 2/3 innings
Key hitter
William Contreras (3-for-4, 3 RBI, HR)
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Questions
What was the final score of NLCS Game 2?
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 on October 12, 2026, according to MLB.com, ESPN and Fox Sports.
Who was the standout player for the Brewers?
Catcher William Contreras went 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs, including a fifth-inning home run and a go-ahead single in the sixth, per Fox Sports.
Why did Yoshinobu Yamamoto leave the game early?
Yamamoto allowed the Brewers to load the bases in the third inning, and a two-run single by Christian Yelich prompted his exit after just 2 2/3 innings — his shortest postseason start, Fox Sports reported.
Where and when is Game 3?
Game 3 is scheduled for Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, with Robert Gasser starting for Milwaukee against Blake Snell for Los Angeles, according to Fox Sports.
What series lead do the Brewers now have?
The Brewers lead the best-of-seven NLCS 2-0 after winning both games in Milwaukee, per MLB.com and ESPN.
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