A Kyle Tucker two-run triple in the fifth inning off Shane Drohan, followed by an Andy Pages two-run home run gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-1 lead and they never looked back. The Brewers lost their first series since April 24-26 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Los Angeles took advantage of Milwaukee’s mistakes, got timely extra-base hits, and finally looked like the more complete team in this matchup.

Brandon Sproat took the loss after giving up three runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in four innings.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was lights out, allowing just one run on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk in seven innings.

Yamamoto set the tone, and never let Milwaukee build sustained pressure after the second inning. The Brewers kept putting balls in play, but Yamamoto controlled contact well and avoided the big inning that had hurt the Dodgers’ pitching staff earlier in the series.

Milwaukee actually struck first when Sal Frelick drove in Jake Bauers in the second, but the game changed once Brandon Sproat lost command in the fourth. A wild pitch tied it, then the Dodgers exploded in the fifth.

Will Klein and Tanner Scott recorded the last six outs for Los Angeles. The Dodgers’ bullpen has now thrown a franchise record 38 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest in the majors since Cleveland relievers threw 38.2 scoreless innings in 2017.

After the game, Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters that Sproat showed some brilliance and had a decent line, though with many walks, and that Yamamoto was phenomenal.

“I thought Sproat was really good guys, I really did, but he wasn’t as efficient, Yamamoto was efficient, you know what I mean? He kept attacking, we couldn’t string hits together, he was very very good,” Murphy said.

“Yeah we had some chances early but he really limited our... he didn’t give up free bases, we gave up six walks, a hit by pitch, a wild pitch, that’s too much,” Murphy added. “The Dodgers were solid, they played solid, the setback, played solid, they got timely hits, you neutralize one of their stars, another guy beats you.”

For Milwaukee, this felt like a missed opportunity. The Brewers collected seven hits (seven singles though) and had traffic on the bases against Yamamoto, but they could not cash in after the second inning.

Sproat’s loss of command completely shifted the game, and the Brewers never recovered offensively once the Dodgers grabbed momentum.

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