This opener sets two different ways of scoring against two strong starters. Milwaukee have been building innings through contact, walks and running, while Los Angeles have leaned more on extra-base hits. Skubal's command and length meet Misiorowski's velocity in a game where the middle innings matter as much as the first. The handoff to rested relievers could decide a narrow finish.
Chourio, Turang and Contreras give Milwaukee several ways to put runners aboard before a timely hit. Skubal was sharp over six innings in his last playoff start, so those runners have to reach against a starter who rarely gives away an inning. At the other end, Betts, Freeman, Tucker and Muncy can turn one mistake into a big swing, but Misiorowski's high-speed pitching has already made clean contact difficult for this lineup.
Milwaukee have named Misiorowski as their starter and kept their pitching group intact. Ashby, Uribe and Megill have had three days of rest after handling the late innings in the previous series. The Dodgers also have their core bats available: Ohtani and Freeman played their last clincher, and Rojas is on the roster after missing that game. Those roles make the starting-pitcher duel and the relief handoff the central matchups.
I expect both starters to make the opening innings hard work for hitters. Milwaukee's opportunity is to turn its contact and walks into runs as the game reaches the middle innings, then hand a close lead to its rested late arms. Los Angeles can answer with power, but Milwaukee's baserunner routes and relief sequence give it a complete path through the finish. That's why I'm siding with the Milwaukee Brewers.
