Brewers Take NLCS Game One Behind Stellar Relief Of Brandon Woodruff, Josh Hader

Players of the Day for Friday, October 12, 2018

National League

AL Championship Game 1: Milwaukee Brewers 6 LA Dodgers 5

Milwaukee extended their winning streak to 12, taking game one of the NL Championship Series over the visiting LA Dodgers, 6-5.

Brandon Woodruff

The Brewers' hot bats got the better of Dodger starter, Clayton Kershaw, scoring five runs in the first four innings off the three-time Cy Young award winner.

Kershaw did not record an out in the fourth, allowing five runs on six hits over three-plus innings. Milwaukee starter, Gio Gonzalez, was lifted after just two innings, allowing one run, but relievers Brandon Woodruff and Josh Hader blanked the Dodgers through the seventh.

Woodruff was the first to get to Kershaw, socking a solo homer to lead off the third inning. The Brewers soared another run in the frame and sent Kershaw packing when Domingo Santana singled in two more runs with no outs in the fourth.

Josh Hader

Santana scored on Ryan Braun's single later in the inning, the run credited against Kershaw. Jesus Aguilar's solo homer in the seventh inning completed Milwaukee's scoring.

Woodruff, besides homering in his first post-season at-bat, didn't allow a hit or walk in his two innings of work, fanning four, picking up the win. Hader worked three hitless innings, also without walking a batter, striking out four.

The Dodgers struck for three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth, but eventually fell short. After giving up a run, Corey Knebel ended the game by striking out Justin Turner with Chris Taylor stranded at third.

Game two is 4:09 pm ET at Milwaukee's Miller Park.

American League

There were no games scheduled for Friday in the AL. The Championship series between the Astros and Red Sox opens Saturday night, 8:09 pm ET, at Boston's Fenway Park.