Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-1

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The Los Angeles Dodgers dominated the Milwaukee Brewers with an 8-1 victory on Wednesday, securing a series win. Freddie Freeman showcased his power with a home run and three RBIs, while Clayton Kershaw demonstrated why he leads the National League with his sixth win of the season.

The NL West-leading Dodgers, known for their impressive home run record of 64, received additional long balls from Will Smith and Miguel Vargas.

Kershaw (6-2) displayed his pitching prowess, striking out eight batters without issuing a single walk over seven innings. Despite surrendering a home run to William Contreras, he effectively limited the Brewers' offensive opportunities, allowing only one runner to reach second base.

This performance marked Kershaw's seventh outing of six or more innings, a commendable feat considering the Dodgers had relied on seven relievers in the previous game. Prior to this start, Kershaw had enjoyed a four-game winning streak. However, in his last appearance against San Diego, he conceded four runs and issued five walks over 4 2/3 innings, resulting in a loss.

Reflecting on his successful outing, Kershaw attributed it to improved command of his fastball, allowing him to effectively locate pitches on both sides of the plate. He expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, "Overall, just better fastball command, just kind of the way it all started for me. I was able to put the ball on both sides of the plate, which was definitely helpful."

In five innings against Milwaukee starter Wade Miley (3-2), the Dodgers managed to score seven runs. Miley, a 36-year-old pitcher who joined the team as a free agent after playing for the Cubs in 2022, started off strong by retiring the first 10 batters. However, in the fourth inning, Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead when Freeman and Smith hit consecutive home runs.

Contreras' homer in the fourth inning further increased Los Angeles' advantage, and in the fifth inning, Freeman added to the score with a two-out single, making it 4-1. Miley had loaded the bases by allowing a single and issuing two walks.

Reflecting on his performance at the plate, Freeman commented, "I felt a little bit better. Today, my body was moving toward the pitcher instead of away from the pitcher. Although I still had a couple of bad swings, I made some progress."

In the sixth inning, Vargas' home run widened the lead to 6-1.

Miley admitted, "I struggled to execute pitches from the stretch, but everything was going well when I pitched from the windup. I gave away too many walks in situations where I should have been attacking hitters."

Wander Suero of the Dodgers took over in the eighth and ninth innings, recording three strikeouts.

Milwaukee's closer, Devin Williams, made a rare appearance in a non-save situation and pitched a flawless ninth inning. Prior to this game, he hadn't pitched since Sunday.

Kershaw, the Dodgers' pitcher, effectively neutralized Christian Yelich, who had an impressive career average of .474 (9 for 19) against him, the highest among all players. The rest of the Brewers' lineup struggled as well, managing only one hit in 37 at-bats against Kershaw. Yelich, batting cleanup instead of his usual leadoff position, went hitless in three at-bats.

The matchup showcased experienced left-handed starting pitchers representing the two National League teams with the lowest batting averages against left-handed pitching. The Dodgers came into Wednesday's game with a .197 average against lefties, while the Brewers were slightly better at .207.

Freeman commented on the statistical aspect, saying, "In the first month of the season, you can choose any stats you want, but over the course of 162 games, things will naturally balance themselves out."

In terms of injuries, Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts stated that a decision regarding whether to place right-handed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the injured list would likely be made on Friday. Syndergaard exited his start on Tuesday after just one inning due to a cut on the index finger of his pitching hand.

Looking ahead to the next games:

For the Dodgers, they will host the Padres for a three-game series starting on Friday. Right-handed pitcher Dustin May (4-1, 2.68 ERA) is expected to take the mound, while San Diego has yet to announce their starter.

For the Brewers, they will host the Royals for a three-game series beginning on Friday, with right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes (3-2, 3.86 ERA) scheduled to start. Kansas City has not announced their starting pitcher.