David Hamilton did not enter the night as Milwaukee’s most obvious power threat. But on October 15, 2026, with two outs in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium, the Brewers infielder delivered the insurance run that helped turn a tense National League Championship Series clincher into a 6–4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hamilton’s solo home run off Edwin Díaz extended Milwaukee’s lead to two runs and capped a comeback from a four-run deficit. The Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the defending champions and earned their first World Series trip since 1982. The moment mattered not just because the ball cleared the fence, but because it arrived after Milwaukee had spent the night refusing to let the game get away.
How Hamilton’s home run changed the final inning
Milwaukee entered the top of the ninth with a 5–4 lead. Edwin Díaz had already retired Cooper Pratt and Sal Frelick, leaving Hamilton with two outs and little room for an insurance-run opportunity to develop. Hamilton turned that opportunity into a solo shot to right-center field, pushing the Brewers ahead 6–4.
MLB’s game video listed the drive at 402 feet, with an exit velocity of 105.0 mph and a launch angle of 36 degrees. The leverage was the bigger story: the homer gave Milwaukee’s bullpen a two-run margin in the bottom of the ninth.
Watch MLB’s official highlight of Hamilton’s solo homer.
The comeback started long before the ninth
The Dodgers looked in control early. Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the second inning, helping Los Angeles build a 4–0 lead. Milwaukee began to chip away in the fourth, when William Contreras and Jake Bauers delivered back-to-back doubles that made it 4–2.
Hamilton helped create momentum in the fifth with an RBI single that brought Sal Frelick home. Milwaukee tied the game later in the inning when Bauers drew a bases-loaded walk. Garrett Mitchell’s go-ahead home run in the sixth gave the Brewers a lead they would not surrender.
Hamilton contributed more than one swing
The home run was the headline, but Hamilton’s full night was more complete than a single highlight. He went 2-for-4, drove in two runs, scored twice and stole a base, according to the game recap. His fifth-inning single helped keep the comeback moving, while the ninth-inning blast gave Milwaukee valuable breathing room.
Hamilton had hit only four home runs during the regular season. That made the timing of this one especially striking. October games often turn on a player who can do the less glamorous work—reach base, take an extra base, put the ball in play—and then seize the one moment when a big swing changes the scoreboard.
Milwaukee’s bullpen finished what the bats started
Hamilton’s home run did not end the game by itself. The Brewers still needed three outs. Aaron Ashby delivered them, working three scoreless innings and recording the save as Milwaukee held the Dodgers off the board late. JoJo Romero also provided key relief during the middle innings, helping prevent Los Angeles from rebuilding its early advantage.
The Dodgers had opportunities to make the game close again, but Milwaukee repeatedly escaped trouble. Timely hitting and relief pitching under pressure were the defining patterns of the clincher, not just Hamilton’s final big swing.
Why the homer will be remembered
Milwaukee’s win carried a rare postseason symmetry. The Dodgers had swept the Brewers out of the 2025 NLCS; one year later, Milwaukee swept Los Angeles in the rematch. MLB described the result as the first time a team swept the same opponent in a best-of-seven postseason series after being swept by that opponent the previous postseason.
For Hamilton, the ninth-inning home run will stand as a signature moment in a game full of them. For the Brewers, it was one more example of a team responding to pressure rather than waiting for the game to turn in its favor. The club now heads to the World Series for the first time in 44 years, with Game 1 scheduled for October 23.
Read MLB’s official recap of the Brewers’ NLCS win. You can also watch the official Game 4 highlights and see a field-level view of Hamilton’s homer.
Quick answers
When did David Hamilton hit the home run?
Hamilton hit his solo home run in the top of the ninth inning on October 15, 2026, in Game 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium.
How far did David Hamilton’s home run travel?
MLB’s video listing recorded the home run at 402 feet, with a 105.0 mph exit velocity and a 36-degree launch angle.
What was the final score?
The Brewers beat the Dodgers 6–4, completing a four-game sweep and clinching the National League pennant.
Who closed out the game for Milwaukee?
Aaron Ashby pitched three scoreless innings to finish the game and record the save.
When do the Brewers play in the World Series?
Game 1 is scheduled for October 23, 2026. Milwaukee will face the winner of the American League Championship Series.
Photo captions credit UPI photographer Caroline Brehman. Confirm image licensing terms with the rights holder before commercial reuse.
