Dodgers host Brewers with National League supremacy on line

The Milwaukee Brewers will put their National League lead to the test when they enter a four-game road series against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers starting Thursday night.

The Brewers (74-47) hold a one-game lead for the league's best record over the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, both of whom are 73-48.

The best record in the league means home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

The National League Championship Series rematch will kick off with Milwaukee rookie left-hander Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.87 ERA) facing Los Angeles right-hander Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.54).

The teams met in May, when the Dodgers won two of three games at Milwaukee amid a 13-2 stretch for Los Angeles.

Milwaukee was 15-7 since the end of the All-Star break before they were swept in a three-game road series against the San Diego Padres this week. The most recent defeat came Wednesday, when the Brewers lost 4-3 in 11 innings.

Milwaukee led 2-1 in the eighth inning and 3-2 in the 11th before falling. The Brewers went 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position in the series vs. the Padres.

"All I know is that on Aug. 12, we have the best record in baseball," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Wednesday. "... You've got to not feel sorry for yourself and just keep your head up and not go, ‘Oh, well now we've got the Dodgers. They're the best team.' You just get opportunity after opportunity, and take advantage."

Drohan faced the Dodgers twice in May, before moving into the rotation, giving up a combined three runs (two earned) over 4 1/3 total innings.

The Dodgers rebounded from a 1-8 run to pull off a recent three-game home sweep of the Kansas City Royals, but there was as much concern as there was pride following Wednesday's 4-2 victory.

Freddie Freeman might not play in Thursday's series opener after he slipped on concrete steps, fell into the Royals' dugout and landed on his side after chasing a foul ball in the eighth inning.

Freeman finished the half-inning but was removed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth.

"I didn't hit my head, so that was the key part there," Freeman said. "I am sore. Kneecaps are sore, shoulder is sore, hand is sore, wrist is sore. I mean, I fell. I'm in good spirits. I've already cold-tubbed and done everything I can do to put myself in position to be able to hopefully play (Thursday)."

The best guess from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was that Freeman would not play in the series opener, leaving the Dodgers without the hitter who is batting .417 over his past 19 games.

After a rough month on offense for Los Angeles, Freeman is getting some help now. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts hit home runs Wednesday, as did Hunter Feduccia.

Ohtani has 27 home runs this season while playing through left knee discomfort the past month. Betts has home runs in consecutive games for the first time since June 24-27, when he went deep in three consecutive games.

Sasaki has shown improvement over his past four starts, going 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA. He faced the Brewers for the first time in his career in the regular season on May 23 and gave up three runs (two earned) over five innings to earn an 11-3 win.

Last fall, in the NLCS, Sasaki made three appearances in relief, giving up one run in 2 2/3 innings as the Dodgers swept the Brewers.

--Field Level Media