2018 National League Division Series

2018 National League Division Series
Teams
Dates	October 4–7
Television	FS1; MLB Network (Game 3)
TV announcers	Kenny Albert, A.J. Pierzynski, David Cone, and Jon Paul Morosi (FS1); Bob Costas, Jim Kaat, and Jon Paul Morosi (MLBN)
Radio	ESPN
Radio announcers	Dan Shulman and Chris Singleton
Umpires	Ted Barrett (crew chief), Kerwin Danley, Alfonso Márquez, Mike Muchlinski, Todd Tichenor, John Tumpane
Teams
Dates	October 4–8
Television	MLB Network (Game 1); FS1
TV announcers	Bob Costas, John Smoltz, and Tom Verducci (MLBN); Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, and Tom Verducci (FS1)
Radio	ESPN
Radio announcers	Chris Berman and Rick Sutcliffe
Umpires	Lance Barksdale, Gary Cederstrom (crew chief), Doug Eddings, Tom Hallion, Adrian Johnson, Jim Reynolds
NLWC	Colorado Rockies defeated Chicago Cubs 2–1 (13)

The 2018 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams of the 2018 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded first through third) and a fourth team—the Wild Card Game winner—played in two series. These matchups were:

(1) Milwaukee Brewers (Central Division champions) vs. (5) Colorado Rockies (Wild Card Game winner)
(2) Los Angeles Dodgers (West Division champions) vs. (3) Atlanta Braves (East Division champions)[1]

Under sponsorship agreements with Doosan, the series was formally known as the National League Division Series presented by Doosan.[2] The Brewers and the Dodgers won their respective series to advance to the Championship Series.

Background

The 2018 National League division races were unexpectedly surprising, considering the Nationals, Cubs, and Dodgers came into the season as heavy betting favorites.[3] The Brewers entered the NLDS as the top seed, having completed the regular season with a record of 96–67 and winning the NL Central via a tie-breaker game. The second-seeded Dodgers went 92–71 in the NL West, also winning their division via a tie-breaker game. The NL East champion Braves were seeded third via their 90–72 record. The final participant was the winner of the NL Wild Card Game, the Rockies. This was the first year in baseball history two divisions in the same league came down to a Game 163.

This was the 14th NLDS appearance for Atlanta, 13th for Los Angeles, fourth for Colorado and third for Milwaukee (who also played in the 1981 ALDS, before joining the National League in 1998).

The Brewers and Rockies met seven times during the regular season, with Milwaukee winning five of the games.[4] The Dodgers and Braves also met seven times during the regular season, with Los Angeles holding a 5–2 edge.[4]

Matchups

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Colorado Rockies

Milwaukee won the series, 3–0.

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 4	Colorado Rockies – 2, Milwaukee Brewers – 3 (10)	Miller Park	4:04	43,382[5]
2	October 5	Colorado Rockies – 0, Milwaukee Brewers – 4	Miller Park	3:45	44,547[6]
3	October 7	Milwaukee Brewers – 6, Colorado Rockies – 0	Coors Field	3:14	49,658[7]

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

Los Angeles won the series, 3–1.

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 4	Atlanta Braves – 0, Los Angeles Dodgers – 6	Dodger Stadium	3:13	50,947[8]
2	October 5	Atlanta Braves – 0, Los Angeles Dodgers – 3	Dodger Stadium	2:35	54,452[9]
3	October 7	Los Angeles Dodgers – 5, Atlanta Braves – 6	SunTrust Park	3:36	42,385[10]
4	October 8	Los Angeles Dodgers – 6 Atlanta Braves – 2	SunTrust Park	3:42	39,586[11]

Milwaukee vs. Colorado

This was the first postseason meeting between the Brewers and Rockies. It is also the first postseason meeting to pit one team who won a tie-breaker game (Brewers) and one team who lost a tie-breaker game (Rockies).

Game 1

Christian Yelich went 2-for-3 including the only home run in Game 1.

Thursday, October 4, 2018 4:07 pm (CDT) at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 69 °F (21 °C), roof closed
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Colorado	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	4	0
Milwaukee	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	7	1
WP: Joakim Soria (1–0) LP: Adam Ottavino (0–1) Home runs: COL: None MIL: Christian Yelich (1) Attendance: 43,382 Boxscore

The Brewers took the lead in the bottom of the third inning, on a two-run home run by Christian Yelich off of Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela. The Rockies tied it in the top of the ninth, getting two runs off of Brewers closer Jeremy Jeffress via three singles, an error, and a sacrifice fly. The two runs the Rockies scored in the top of the 9th inning would turn out to be the only runs and the only inning they would score in during the entire series. Milwaukee won the game in the bottom of the tenth, when Mike Moustakas hit a two-out walk-off single off of Adam Ottavino with runners on first and third. Brewers reliever Joakim Soria, who had retired the Rockies in order in the top of the tenth, got the win.

Game 2

Brewers starter Jhoulys Chacín, shown here with the Angels in 2016, got the win in Game 2.

Friday, October 5, 2018 3:15 pm (CDT) at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 69 °F (21 °C), roof closed
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Colorado	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Milwaukee	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	X	4	9	1
WP: Jhoulys Chacín (1–0) LP: Tyler Anderson (0–1) Sv: Jeremy Jeffress (1) Attendance: 44,547 Boxscore

After three scoreless innings, Milwaukee took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, on back-to-back doubles by Mike Moustakas and Hernán Pérez. The lead was extended to 4–0 in the eighth, with three runs coming off a total of two walks and three singles. Brewers starter Jhoulys Chacín got the win after allowing three hits in five innings while striking out three and walking three; closer Jeremy Jeffress earned the save, pitching the eighth and ninth while allowing two hits and striking out three. Rockies starter Tyler Anderson allowed one run on four hits in six innings of work, and took the loss.

Game 3

Milwaukee reliever Corbin Burnes got the win in Game 3.

Sunday, October 7, 2018 2:37 pm (MDT) at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, 46 °F (8 °C), cloudy
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Milwaukee	1	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	2	6	12	0
Colorado	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
WP: Corbin Burnes (1–0) LP: Germán Márquez (0–1) Home runs: MIL: Jesús Aguilar (1), Orlando Arcia (1), Keon Broxton (1) COL: None Attendance: 49,658 Boxscore

The Brewers opened the game with a run in the top of the first inning, coming on a walk, single, and fielder's choice, with Christian Yelich scoring for the 1–0 lead. A Jesús Aguilar home run in the top of the fourth inning gave Milwaukee a 2–0 lead. The Brewers doubled their lead to 4–0 in the top of the sixth inning; with runners on second and third with two outs, Rockies reliever Scott Oberg gave up one run via balk and another via a wild pitch. Home runs by Orlando Arcia and Keon Broxton in the top of the ninth inning increased the lead to 6–0. In the bottom of the ninth, the Rockies got two men on base with one out, before Milwaukee reliever Josh Hader came in and recorded the final two outs, completing the sweep. Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes got the win after pitching two innings of no-hit relief, while Rockies starter Germán Márquez allowed seven hits and two runs in five innings and took the loss. The Brewers' 12²⁄₃ innings from starters were the fewest ever for a team that won a Division Series.[12] The Brewers will play the Dodgers in the NLCS.

Composite line score

2018 NLDS (3–0): Milwaukee Brewers defeated Colorado Rockies.


Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Colorado Rockies	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	12	0
Milwaukee Brewers	1	0	2	2	0	2	0	3	2	1	13	28	2
Total attendance: 137,587 Average attendance: 45,862

Los Angeles vs. Atlanta

This was the third postseason meeting between the Dodgers and Braves. The previous two match-ups were the 1996 National League Division Series and 2013 National League Division Series. They also met in the 1959 National League tie-breaker series. The Braves formerly were an NL West member for 24 years (1969-1993); the Braves and Dodgers finished in the top two positions in the division in 1982, 1983, and 1991, all of which came down to the final week of the season.