Milwaukee @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 16, 2018 ) Milwaukee 1, LA Dodgers 2

Clayton Kershaw takes to mound as the Los Angeles Dodgers try to seize the lead in the National League Championship Series when they host the Milwaukee Brewers for Game 5 on Wednesday. Cody Bellinger ended a five hour-plus marathon with an RBI single in the bottom of the 13th as the Dodgers earned a 2-1 victory in Game 4 to even the series at two games apiece.

Bellinger had two hits in Game 4 after going 1-for-21 in the first seven contests during the postseason and Manny Machado scored the winning run after extending his hitting streak to five games (8-for-22). Kershaw attempts to rebound from a rough outing in Game 1 and will face fellow left-hander Wade Miley, who has yet to allow a run in the postseason as Milwaukee looks to recover from its second loss in seven playoff contests. The Brewers managed eight hits in the Game 4 loss and left fielder Ryan Braun had three of them while leadoff batter Lorenzo Cain went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts and National League MVP candidate Christian Yelich was 1-for-5 with a walk. Milwaukee shortstop Orlando Arcia boasts three homers in the playoffs after launching three in 119 games during the regular season and went 1-for-5 with a run scored in Game 4.

TV: 5:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Wade Miley (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (1-1, 3.27)

Miley has given the Brewers a chance to win with two solid performances in the postseason, yielding five hits and one walk over 10 1/3 innings without a decision. The 31-year-old Louisiana native, who was 5-2 in 16 starts for Milwaukee in the regular season, struck out three across 5 2/3 innings Saturday in Game 2 and left with a two-run lead before the Dodgers rallied to win 4-3. Matt Kemp has two homers and Yasiel Puig is 6-of-17 with a blast and six walks versus Miley, who had a 2.50 ERA on the road during the regular season.

Kershaw was brilliant in his first outing during the playoffs, allowing two hits over eight scoreless innings to beat Atlanta on Oct. 5, but struggled in his Game 1 start at Milwaukee. The 30-year-old Texan, who was 9-5 in the regular season, yielded five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks across three innings to take the loss Friday, dropping to 8-8 in the postseason. Pitcher Brandon Woodruff took Kershaw deep and Cain recorded two hits against the three-time Cy Young winner in Game 1.

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee Cs Erik Kratz and Manny Pina are 9-for-23 combined with three runs and two RBIs in the playoffs.

2. Los Angeles 2B Brian Dozier got the start in Game 4 and knocked in the first run with a single.

3. Brewers starting pitchers have allowed two earned runs over 26 2/3 innings in the NLCS after LHP Gio Gonzalez gave up one Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Brewers 2