Shohei Ohtani starred in a two-way performance to guide the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series. The three-time MVP hit three home runs and pitched seven strong innings, striking out ten, as the Dodgers completed a 5-1 sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series Friday night. Ohtani made history early, hitting the first leadoff home run by a pitcher in playoff history against Brewers starter José Quintana. He followed with a 469-foot blast in the fourth inning that cleared the left-field pavilion. His third solo shot came in the seventh inning, making him the 12th player ever to hit three homers in a playoff game. The total distance of his homers reached 1,342 feet. On the mound, Ohtani (2-0) dominated Milwaukee’s hitters, fanning ten in his second career postseason start for the Dodgers. After retiring the first two batters in the seventh, he exited to a standing ovation. Reliever Alex Vesia escaped the inning, and Ohtani then returned to hit his third homer in the bottom half, sealing the victory. The Dodgers are now the first team to win back-to-back National League pennants since Philadelphia in 2009. This marks Los Angeles’ fifth World Series appearance in nine seasons. If they win, they will become the first repeat champions since the New York Yankees’ three straight titles from 1998 to 2000. Los Angeles finished a dominant 9-1 playoff run with this NLCS sweep. The Dodgers have reached the World Series 23 times in franchise history, including 14 pennants since relocating from Brooklyn. Only the New York Yankees have appeared more often in the Fall Classic, with 41 trips. The Dodgers now have a week off before the World Series begins next Friday. They will face either the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays, who continue their AL Championship Series. Seattle leads Toronto 3-2 after a 6-2 win Friday. Los Angeles had never swept an NLCS in 16 previous appearances, but they dominated the Brewers, a 97-win team, becoming only the fifth team to sweep this series. They are also the first team to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series since 2022 and the first NLCS sweep since Washington in 2019. The Brewers were eliminated by the Dodgers for the third time in their recent stretch of seven playoff appearances in eight years. Despite a franchise-record 97 wins, Milwaukee has yet to reach the World Series since 1982. The Brewers had never been swept in a playoff series longer than a best-of-three before this NLCS. Los Angeles’ pitching was nearly flawless. Their four starters combined for 28 2/3 innings, allowing only two earned runs and recording 35 strikeouts. Ohtani set the tone with his leadoff homer, followed by runs from Mookie Betts and Will Smith. Milwaukee managed their first hit in the fourth inning with Jackson Chourio doubling, but Ohtani stranded him with two strikeouts and a groundout. The Dodgers added insurance runs in the eighth. Blake Treinen allowed two baserunners, and Caleb Durbin scored after Brice Turang beat out a potential double-play grounder. Anthony Banda ended the inning, completing the Dodgers’ decisive victory. With Ohtani’s historic performance and dominant pitching, the Dodgers return to the World Series with momentum and a chance to become baseball’s first repeat champions in 25 years.