MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — Brice Turang homered, Luis Lara delivered the go-ahead single and the Milwaukee Brewers held off the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 on Sunday at American Family Field in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee leads the series 1-0. The Brewers, who were swept by Los Angeles in last season’s NLCS, got a gritty start from Jacob Misiorowski and a scoreless bullpen effort to take the opener in front of 42,617 fans. The game took 2 hours, 55 minutes. Milwaukee’s season record stands at 107-60, and the Dodgers are 103-64.

The Dodgers struck first against Misiorowski. Mookie Betts grounded out to open the game, Freddie Freeman singled and Will Smith grounded into a double play to end the first. In the second, Shohei Ohtani walked, Teoscar Hernández singled and Andy Pages drove in Ohtani with a ground-ball single to right. A walk to Kyle Tucker loaded the bases with one out, but Misiorowski escaped when Enrique Hernández grounded into a double play. Cooper Pratt made a smooth pick at short and Turang turned it at second, ending the threat. It was the first of three double plays the Dodgers grounded into, a recurring problem that kept them from building on seven hits.

Milwaukee had early chances of its own. Andrew Vaughn doubled in the second and moved to third on Garrett Mitchell’s groundout, but Cooper Pratt struck out. The Brewers went down in order in the third. Misiorowski did not have his best swing-and-miss stuff, but he kept Milwaukee close. The right-hander allowed one earned run on five hits over 4.1 innings, walking three and striking out five. He worked around traffic and exited with the Brewers in position to take the lead. Tarik Skubal was nearly as effective for Los Angeles, pitching five innings and giving up two earned runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Skubal took the loss.

Milwaukee tied it in the fourth when Turang homered to left-center off Skubal. William Contreras struck out, Jake Bauers singled, but Vaughn grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Brewers then used small ball to take the lead in the fifth. Mitchell walked, Pratt moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Lara singled sharply to center to score Mitchell. Joey Ortiz grounded out, Jackson Chourio singled and Turang walked, but Contreras flew out to right fielder Kyle Tucker. The Brewers finished with two sacrifice hits, including another bunt by Turang in the eighth. Milwaukee had six hits, but its timing and execution produced the two runs it needed.

The Brewers bullpen made the lead stand. DL Hall earned the win in relief, improving to 6-0. Aaron Ashby followed with two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out one. Abner Uribe pitched a scoreless inning with two hits and two strikeouts. Trevor Megill worked the ninth for his 33rd save, navigating two walks to finish it. Los Angeles got scoreless relief from Alex Vesia, Tanner Scott and Evan Phillips, but the Dodgers could not solve Milwaukee’s late-inning arms. Vesia struck out two in a scoreless inning, Scott struck out one in a scoreless inning, and Phillips struck out three while allowing one hit in a scoreless inning.

Los Angeles had chances. In the third, Betts singled before Freeman struck out, Smith flew out and Ohtani struck out. In the fourth, Teoscar Hernández singled, but Muncy struck out, Pages flew out and Tucker struck out. In the fifth, Betts walked before Freeman grounded into a double play. In the sixth, Ohtani singled and Max Muncy singled to put runners on the corners, but Pages struck out. In the seventh, Tucker struck out, Enrique Hernández flew out and Betts flew out. In the eighth, Will Smith walked before Ohtani popped out and Teoscar Hernández grounded out. In the ninth, Tucker and Josue De Paula drew walks to bring the tying run into scoring position, but Megill got Mookie Betts to fly out to center fielder Garrett Mitchell. The Dodgers’ three double plays and missed opportunities with runners in scoring position defined their night. The Dodgers had seven hits but scored only one run. Milwaukee had six hits and scored two.

Turang finished 1-for-2 with a home run and one RBI, providing Milwaukee’s biggest swing. Lara’s single was the difference. Misiorowski was Milwaukee’s top star, even without a decision, after grinding through a difficult lineup. The Brewers’ relief corps covered the final 4 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run. DL Hall picked up the win in relief, moving to 6-0 on the season, while Trevor Megill closed for his 33rd save. Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe bridged the middle innings and kept Los Angeles off the scoreboard.

For Los Angeles, Skubal’s line was strong but not enough. He gave up Turang’s homer and Lara’s go-ahead single. The Dodgers’ offense produced seven hits, drew walks and put pressure on Milwaukee, but the double plays erased rallies. The Brewers played clean defense. Pratt, Turang and Jake Bauers combined on several key outs. Milwaukee’s two sacrifice hits helped manufacture the winning run. Los Angeles relievers Alex Vesia, Tanner Scott and Evan Phillips kept the Brewers from adding insurance, but the Dodgers could not push across the tying run. Milwaukee’s defense turned key outs behind the bullpen and limited the damage after the Dodgers put runners on base.

The result was a reversal from last October, when Los Angeles won Game 1 on the road and swept the Brewers in the NLCS. Milwaukee’s ace and bullpen made sure this opener ended differently. The Brewers needed Game 1 and got it. The Dodgers will look to even the series in Game 2. The Brewers protected a one-run lead over the final four innings and denied Los Angeles a road opener in the rematch. Milwaukee’s bullpen did not allow an earned run, and the Dodgers left key runners stranded in the late innings.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Milwaukee Brewers 8. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Milwaukee with a 54.4 percent probability to win. Los Angeles had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over-under line of 5.5.