On Monday, October 12, 2026, the Milwaukee Brewers seized an early advantage in Game 2 of the NLCS following a difficult start by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers' reigning World Series MVP struggled through just 2⅔ innings, allowing three runs before being pulled by manager Dave Roberts.
Yamamoto's 75-pitch struggle in the third inning
Yoshinobu Yamamoto's performance on Monday was a stark departure from his reputation as a postseason powerhouse. according to the report, the Dodgers' ace was removed after throwing 75 pitches, allowing three runs on four hits, two walks, and a single strikeout. This outing represents the shortest postseason appearance of Yamamoto's career, surpassing his previous record set during his 2024 playoff debut against the San Diego Padres.
The decision to pull the starter came as a matter of tactical necessity rather than a lack of confidence in his talent. After the Brewers began to exert pressure, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted to end the inning early to prevent further momentum shifts. As Roberts stated following the game , "For me, I felt we had to stop the damage right there." This move highlights the high-stakes environment of the NLCS, where even a reigning World Series MVP is subject to immediate scrutiny if the command falters.
Jake Bauers' 12-pitch battle triggers the Brewers' lead
The momentum shifted decisively during a grueling sequence in the third inning that exhausted the Dodgers' pitching staff. Milwaukee Brewers batter Jake Bauers engaged in a 12-pitch plate appearance,which the FOX broadcast identified as the longest of his career. This extended battle saw Bauers foul off six consecutive pitches before drawing a walk on a ball in the dirt, which subsequently loaded the bases.
The strain on Yamamoto was evident not just in the Bauers at-bat, but in the cumulative pitch counts of the inning. The report notes that Yamamoto threw a combined 22 pitches to a sequence of batters including David Hamilton, Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras. This exhaustion paved the way for Christian Yelich to deliver a two-run single, giving the Brewers a 3-2 advantage and forcing the early pitching change.
Logan Henderson's error fuels a fifth-inning Dodgers rally
The Los Angeles Dodgers attempted to claw back into the contest during the fifth inning, capitalizing on defensive lapses. The report indicates that Los Angeles managed to score two runs following an errant throw by Logan Henderson. This scoring surge provided a brief moment of hope for a Dodgers team that had suffered a narrow 3-2 loss in the series opener.
The competitive nature of this series was established early, characterized by tight scoring and significant bullpen involvement.. In Game 1, the pitcing duel featured Jacob Misiorowski limiting Los Angeles to two runs and Tarik Skubal holding Milwaukee to one through six innings. As the series progresses, the ability of the bullpens to stabilize these high-leverage situations—such as Alex Vesia's ability to strike out Garrett Mitchell to end the Brewers' third-inning rally—will likely determine the winner.
The mystery of the final Game 2 score
Despite the intense action in the fifth inning, the definitive outcome of Game 2 remains unverified. While the report mentions a 3-2 lead for Milwaukee, it also notes that the Dodgers scored twice in the fifth following the Henderson error. This creates a significant gap in the available data regarding the final tally.
Several critical questions remain unanswered by the current reporting: What was the final score of the game? Did the Dodgers' two-run response in the fifth inning result in a lead change, or did the Brewers maintain their advantage? Furthermore, because the source does not provide a concluding summary of the game's end, the actual winner of this pivotal NLCS matchup remains a matter of speculation based on the latest reported figures.
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