44 Years Later: Brewers Sweep the Dodgers to Reach Their First World Series Since 1982

The short answer

The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 on Thursday, October 15, 2026, to sweep the National League Championship Series 4-0 and reach the World Series for the first time since 1982. Milwaukee rallied from 4-0 down, took the lead on Garrett Mitchell's sixth-inning home run, and opens the World Series at home on Friday, October 23.

What happened in Game 4?

For two innings, this looked like the Dodgers' night. Los Angeles scored four times in the second inning, capped by a three-run home run from Shohei Ohtani — his first home run of this postseason. Down 4-0 on the road, against the two-time defending champions, Milwaukee could easily have folded and taken the series back home.

Instead, the Brewers chipped away. Jake Bauers got them on the board in the fourth with a two-run double that cut the deficit in half. Milwaukee tied the game in the fifth, helped by Bauers drawing a bases-loaded walk. In the sixth, Garrett Mitchell hit the go-ahead solo home run that put the Brewers in front for good. In the ninth, No. 9 hitter David Hamilton added insurance with a solo home run off Edwin Díaz.

The bullpen did the rest. Four Milwaukee pitchers held Los Angeles scoreless over the final seven innings, repeatedly stranding the potential tying run. Aaron Ashby worked the final three innings for the save, and the celebration started when the final out was caught in left field.

Sources: NBC Sports / Associated Press, USA Today, Reuters

Why is this blowing up?

First, the history. Milwaukee's only previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when the club was still in the American League and lost in seven games to St. Louis. A 44-year wait ended in one night, in the other team's ballpark.

Second, the revenge arc. Los Angeles swept Milwaukee out of last year's NLCS. This year Milwaukee returned the favour in four straight games — becoming, according to multiple reports, the first club to sweep the same opponent that had swept it in the previous postseason.

Third, the song. You cannot scroll Milwaukee social media right now without hearing rapper Foenem's anthem, a short, relentlessly repetitive track built around the team name and shout-outs to pitcher Jacob Misiorowski and captain Christian Yelich. Foenem first previewed it on TikTok on October 4; by October 15 that preview had passed 461,800 views and 53,700 likes, a follow-up post added roughly another 166,000 views, and fans have been using the track under highlight clips, dances and clubhouse footage ever since. Reporters covering Game 4 noted the players themselves know the song and have been singing it in the clubhouse. Bad earworms fade. This one is now attached to a pennant.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Key facts

• Final score: Brewers 6, Dodgers 4 — Game 4, October 15, at Dodger Stadium.
• Series result: Milwaukee wins the NLCS 4-0.
• Comeback: From 4-0 down in the second inning to 6-4 winners.
• Go-ahead hit: Garrett Mitchell, solo home run in the sixth inning.
• Insurance: David Hamilton, solo home run in the ninth off Edwin Díaz.
• Series MVP: Jake Bauers, who hit .286 with six RBIs in the NLCS, per Reuters.
• Last World Series: 1982 — 44 years ago.
• World Series start: Friday, October 23, in Milwaukee, with home-field advantage.

What's next?

Milwaukee waits. The World Series opponent will be the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays, a series Cleveland led 2-1 after Thursday's games. Because Milwaukee finished with baseball's best regular-season record, the Brewers will host Game 1 on October 23.

That gives Milwaukee a full week to rest its overworked bullpen, set its rotation — and yes, keep singing. If the Foenem track was everywhere during a league championship series, expect it to be inescapable by the time the first World Series pitch is thrown in Milwaukee for the first time in more than four decades.

The takeaway is simple: the best regular-season team in baseball just produced its most memorable night in 44 years, on the road, from four runs down, against the champions who swept them a year ago. That is not just a win. That is a story a city repeats — and sings — for a very long time.

FAQ

When was the last time the Brewers were in the World Series?

1982. Milwaukee lost that series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals, when the Brewers were an American League team.

Who will the Brewers play in the 2026 World Series?

The winner of the Guardians–Rays ALCS. Cleveland led that series 2-1 after Thursday, October 15.

When does the 2026 World Series start?

Friday, October 23, in Milwaukee. The Brewers have home-field advantage after finishing with baseball's best regular-season record.

What is the viral Milwaukee Brewers song?

It is rapper Foenem's short team anthem, previewed on TikTok on October 4. Its preview passed 461,800 views by October 15, and fans and players have adopted it during the postseason run.