LOS ANGELES - Shohei Ohtani delivered a performance for the ages at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, combining otherworldly power at the plate with dominant pitching on the mound to propel the Los Angeles Dodgers into the World Series with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

The two-way superstar became the first Dodgers pitcher to homer in postseason play and etched his name in MLB history as the first pitcher ever to lead off a game with a home run in the playoffs. But Ohtani was just getting started. He launched three mammoth homers in total, measuring 446 feet, 469 feet, and another blast in the seventh inning that sealed the Dodgers' fate.

On the mound, Ohtani was equally spectacular, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out 10 Brewers batters. His dominance earned him the NLCS MVP Award and left his manager searching for superlatives.

That was probably the greatest postseason performance of all time, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. What Shohei did tonight transcends baseball.

The Dodgers completed a dominant four-game sweep of the Brewers, with their pitching staff suffocating Milwaukee's offense throughout the series. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Ohtani, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto combined to allow just two runs over 28 and two-thirds innings across the four games, a testament to the depth and quality of Los Angeles' rotation.

For Ohtani, the performance was redemption after a quieter showing in the Division Series. This time around, it was my turn to be able to perform, Ohtani said through his interpreter, displaying the humble demeanor that has endeared him to fans worldwide.

The victory sends the Dodgers to their second consecutive World Series appearance, where they will await the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Los Angeles now has its sights set on becoming the first team to win back-to-back championships since the New York Yankees captured three straight titles from 1998 to 2000.

The Brewers, who earned the best record in baseball during the regular season and were the first team to clinch a playoff berth in 2025, saw their promising campaign come to an abrupt end. Despite their regular-season success, Milwaukee had no answer for the Dodgers' pitching excellence and Ohtani's historic heroics.

World Series Game 1 is scheduled for October 24, presented by Capital One, giving the Dodgers nearly a week to rest and prepare for their championship defense. With Ohtani performing at this level and a deep pitching staff firing on all cylinders, the Dodgers are positioned as the team to beat as they pursue consecutive titles.