Brewers 2, Dodgers 1: Lara supplies the lead, the bullpen protects it

Luis Lara's fifth-inning single put Milwaukee ahead. Four Brewers relievers made the run stand up. The Brewers beat the Dodgers 2-1 Sunday at American Family Field to take a 1-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.

Los Angeles struck first on Andy Pages' second-inning single, which scored Shohei Ohtani. Brice Turang tied it with a solo homer off Tarik Skubal in the fourth. Lara then singled to center in the fifth, bringing Garrett Mitchell home for the run that decided the opener.

Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run over 4⅓ innings, with five strikeouts and three walks. Milwaukee needed the bullpen early. DL Hall recorded the final two outs of the fifth, Abner Uribe handled the sixth, Aaron Ashby worked two hitless innings and Trevor Megill closed the ninth. Together they allowed two hits and no runs over 4⅔ innings.

It was not a clean ninth. Megill walked two Dodgers, leaving the tying and go-ahead runners aboard before Mookie Betts flew out to Mitchell in center for the final out. Los Angeles finished with seven hits to Milwaukee's six and left nine runners on base. More traffic did not produce more runs.

The bullpen's workload is the useful number behind the narrow score. Milwaukee recorded 14 outs after its starter left without surrendering another run. That is how a fifth-inning lead survived four more innings against this lineup. One win does not settle the series, and using four relievers creates an immediate workload question for Game 2.

Game 2 is scheduled for Monday, October 12, at 5 p.m. Eastern in Milwaukee. The Brewers have the opening win. The Dodgers have a quick chance to answer.