Brewers retake lead with 4-0 win over Dodgers
MILWAUKEE shortstop Orlando Arcia belted his third home run of this postseason Monday, a two-run shot that lifted the Brewers to a 4-0 victory over the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
The victory gave the Brewers a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series, with games four and five coming up in California on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The winner of the series will take on either the reigning champion Houston Astros or the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
Venezuela’s Arcia, who had just three homers in 119 regular-season games, matched that total in these playoffs when he lofted a fastball from Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler into the right field seats, doubling Milwaukee’s lead to 4-0 in the seventh inning.
It was the second homer in as many games for Arcia, who was demoted in July after struggling at the plate in the first half of the season.
“Every player is going to have their ups and downs, and this year was definitely a lot of downs for me,” he said. “I was able to work on stuff, recognise pitches, and especially breaking balls. And now I do my adjustments and things have been working better and now we’re up here in the playoffs.”
Four runs was plenty of support for Brewers starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, who threw 5 1/3 shutout innings and has yet to allow a run in the postseason.
“Jhoulys was just outstanding tonight,” said Brewers manager Craig Counsell after Chacin scattered three hits and struck out six. “He made big pitches.”