Aaron Ashby delivered the finishing blow as Milwaukee beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on October 15, completing a four-game sweep and earning the Brewers their first World Series berth since 1982.
The left-handed reliever worked the final three innings at Dodger Stadium, allowed no runs and struck out three. His nine-out save closed a game that began with Los Angeles ahead 4-0 and ended with Milwaukee celebrating a National League pennant. The official MLB recap confirms Ashby’s three scoreless frames and the sweep.
How Ashby protected the lead
Ashby entered with the Brewers holding a narrow advantage and the Dodgers still capable of turning the game around. In the seventh, he struck out Shohei Ohtani and got Mookie Betts to ground out with a runner at third. The eighth brought another threat after a double and a defensive miscue put a runner in scoring position. Ashby responded by getting Kyle Tucker to hit a shallow fly ball, then striking out Teoscar Hernández.
He handled the ninth without allowing the Dodgers to restart their rally. Three scoreless innings under that kind of pressure are more than a tidy line in a box score: they denied a powerful lineup the extra baserunner or mistake it needed to change the ending.
The comeback that made Ashby’s save possible
Los Angeles jumped ahead 4-0 in the second inning after Andy Pages drove in a run and Ohtani hit a three-run homer. Milwaukee did not panic. The Brewers chipped away in the fourth, then tied the score in the fifth as the Dodgers’ bullpen issued walks and Milwaukee took advantage of its chances on the bases.
Garrett Mitchell put Milwaukee in front in the sixth with a 409-foot solo homer to center. He did it after falling behind 0-2, making the swing an especially decisive moment in a game where the Brewers had spent the first half chasing the score. David Hamilton added a two-out solo homer in the ninth for a valuable insurance run.
Why Milwaukee’s bullpen deserves the spotlight
Postseason stories often center on the home run that flips a game, but Milwaukee’s ability to preserve the lead mattered just as much. JoJo Romero helped end a dangerous sixth-inning opportunity, and Ashby took over for the final three frames. The Dodgers put runners in threatening positions, yet Milwaukee’s relievers repeatedly turned those moments into outs rather than runs.
That is the difference between a comeback and a championship-clinching win. Against a lineup featuring Ohtani and Betts, a single walk or misplaced pitch can reopen a game. Ashby kept the damage at zero and made the Brewers’ one-run advantage hold until Hamilton’s ninth-inning homer widened the margin.
A historic turnaround for the Brewers
The sweep sends Milwaukee to the World Series for the first time since 1982, when the franchise—then in the American League—lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. It also reverses last year’s outcome, when the Dodgers swept the Brewers out of the NLCS. This time, Milwaukee won four straight and did so after falling behind during each game, showing a remarkable ability to stay within reach.
Jake Bauers was named NLCS MVP after delivering six RBIs in the series. Mitchell’s go-ahead homer and Hamilton’s late insurance shot supplied the headline moments in Game 4, but the comeback depended on patient at-bats, pressure on the Dodgers’ bullpen and the relief staff’s ability to finish innings.
Watch the official Game 4 highlights
MLB has published the official Game 4 highlights and a separate clip of Ashby’s three scoreless innings. These are the most direct sources for the game’s decisive plays.
What comes next?
Milwaukee now prepares for the World Series, scheduled to begin October 23 against the American League champion. Ashby’s performance gives manager Pat Murphy another high-leverage option, but the broader lesson is the depth of the bullpen. A long postseason run rarely rests on one pitcher alone; it depends on several arms repeatedly handling high-pressure innings.
For Ashby, the Game 4 finish is a defining postseason moment: he closed out the defending champions on the road and helped end a 44-year wait for another World Series appearance. For the Brewers, it was a team win built from timely hitting, calm at-bats and a relief corps that did not let the Dodgers back into the game.
Frequently asked questions
How many innings did Aaron Ashby pitch in Game 4?
Ashby pitched three scoreless innings, struck out three batters and earned the save in Milwaukee’s 6-4 win on October 15, 2026.
Did the Brewers sweep the Dodgers in the 2026 NLCS?
Yes. Milwaukee won all four games of the National League Championship Series and advanced to the World Series.
When did Milwaukee last reach the World Series?
The Brewers’ previous World Series appearance was in 1982, when the franchise played in the American League and lost to St. Louis.
Who was named NLCS MVP?
Jake Bauers was named NLCS MVP after contributing six RBIs during the series.
Where can I watch Ashby’s Game 4 highlights?
MLB.com hosts official highlights of the full game and a separate video focused on Ashby’s three scoreless innings.
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