Dodgers can't snap lengthy regular-season skid against Brewers

MILWAUKEE -- It was a rematch of the 2025 NLCS on Friday night at American Family Field, but for the Dodgers, the matchup with the Brewers was all too similar to the forgettable regular-season meetings instead of the memorable games in October that sent Los Angeles to the World Series.

The Dodgers dropped the opener, 5-1, in a series between two first-place squads that could once again meet in the postseason. And that’s where the Dodgers want them, apparently, after they were once again unable to solve the Brewers in the regular season. Los Angeles swept Milwaukee in four games in the playoffs, but were 0-6 against the NL Central-leading Brewers on the way there.

Returning to Milwaukee for the first time since that series, after taking two of three from San Diego to remain atop the NL West, what the Brewers did last season was still in the minds of those inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse.

They just weren’t able to stop it.

“It’s a really good team. I don’t think that people appreciate how well this team plays baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said of the Brewers before the game. “There’s not a lot of fanfare as far as the name recognition, but the way [Brewers manager] Pat Murphy gets these guys to play, it’s a fun brand of baseball. … Last year, during the regular season, we couldn’t beat these guys once. So I expect us to just play better baseball.”

Despite coming in playing some of their best ball to date, winning seven of their last eight, the Dodgers were once again ambushed by the Brewers. This time it was to the detriment of Jacob Wrobleski, who gave up six hits and faced 10 batters in a four-run first inning that was ignited by a three-run homer from William Contreras before Wrobleski had recorded an out.

The left-hander had been one of Los Angeles’ best starters to date, entering with a 2.49 ERA, but soft contact and limited strikeouts -- Wrobleski’s calling card -- didn’t match up well against a Brewers team that is one of the best at putting the ball in play. However, Wrobleski gritted his way through four more frames to provide length, allowing just one more run to keep the Dodgers within striking distance.

The bats were kept quiet by starter Logan Henderson, though, as Los Angeles didn’t pick up a hit until Shohei Ohtani’s single in the fourth. That ended up being one of the Dodgers’ best chances for a big inning, with Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages later walking in the frame, but Max Muncy popped out to second base to strand the bases loaded. Ohtani provided the only run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Dodgers finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and were held to only three hits. They have now been outscored 20-5 in their last four regular-season games at American Family Field. Righty Roki Sasaki, who tossed seven innings of one-run ball in his last start, gets the nod Saturday night to try and change that.