LOS ANGELES — In an era where complete games have become nearly extinct, especially in the high-stakes environment of postseason baseball, Yoshinobu Yamamoto turned back the clock with a masterful performance that will be remembered for years to come.

The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander threw the first postseason complete game since Justin Verlander accomplished the feat in the 2017 ALCS, leading his team to a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on October 14. The win gives the Dodgers a commanding 2-0 series lead as the teams prepare to head to Milwaukee.

What makes Yamamoto's achievement even more remarkable is the way it began. On the very first pitch of the game, Brewers rookie Jackson Chourio launched a leadoff home run, giving Milwaukee an early 1-0 advantage and threatening to derail the young pitcher's composure. Instead, Yamamoto responded with the kind of dominance that has become characteristic of this Dodgers rotation all postseason long.

From that point forward, Yamamoto was virtually unhittable. He allowed just two more hits over the remaining eight innings, completely shutting down a Brewers lineup that had no answers for his diverse arsenal. The complete game was the first of Yamamoto's professional career in Major League Baseball, encompassing both regular season and playoff appearances, and marked him as the first Japanese-born player to throw a complete game in MLB postseason history.

The performance continues what has been an exceptional run for the entire Dodgers pitching staff this October. Through eight postseason games in 2025, the Los Angeles rotation has posted a minuscule 1.54 ERA, providing the foundation for the team's deep playoff run. Yamamoto's gem represents the pinnacle of that excellence.

For the Dodgers organization, the significance extends beyond just this single game. It was the first complete game by a Dodgers pitcher in the postseason since José Lima accomplished the feat back in 2004, ending a 21-year drought for the franchise in October baseball.

The rarity of complete games in modern baseball, particularly in the postseason when managers typically rely heavily on their bullpens, makes Yamamoto's performance all the more special. In an age of pitch counts, matchup analytics, and specialized relief pitchers, seeing a starter go the distance has become almost unheard of when championships are on the line.

Now holding a 2-0 series advantage, the Dodgers are in prime position to advance to the World Series. With their rotation performing at an elite level and Yamamoto showing he can deliver in the biggest moments, Los Angeles appears poised to make a serious run at a championship. For Yamamoto, his historic night has already secured his place in Dodgers lore and October baseball history.