Brewers force Game 7 in NLCS

MILWAUKEE Jesus Aguilar and the Milwaukee Brewers forced the NL Championship Series to Game 7, bolting to a big lead and handing it to their dominant bullpen in a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

Aguilar hit a two-run double in the Brewers’ four-run first inning against Hyun-Jin Ryu and added a late RBI single that helped the Brewers even the matchup at three games each.

Game 7 is Saturday night in front of the same frenzied crowd that booed Manny Machado vociferously after he tangled with Aguilar in Los Angeles. Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler faces journeyman Jhoulys Chacin, with rested relief ace Josh Hader looming in the bullpen for Milwaukee after a surprise day off. Chacin was the winner in Game 3 with a 4-0 victory against Buehler.

Los Angeles was looking for its second straight NL pennant and some time to prepare for the mighty Boston Red Sox in the World Series, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Boston. But Ryu lasted just three innings and there was no late comeback this time around after the Dodgers rallied to win Game 2 in Milwaukee. Along with Augilar’s three hits, the Brewers were led by veteran Ryan Braun with a double and single and RBI.

David Freese provided all of the Dodgers’ offence, hitting a firstinning homer against Milwaukee starter Wade Miley, who went four innings, and added an RBI double in the fifth. But that was to be the extent of the Dodgers offence on this night.

After Miley departed, a trio of relievers, Corey Knebel, Jeremy Jeffress and Corbin Burnes, didn’t allow the Dodgers a hit over the final five innings.