MLB playoff takeaways: Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws complete game to give Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the NLCS

Game 2 of the National League Championship Series was the sole MLB postseason matchup on Tuesday, with the Los Angeles Dodgers handling business, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 5–1 behind a complete-game performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s game:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes postseason history with complete game

Yamamoto etched his name into Dodgers history, delivering the franchise’s first postseason complete game since Jose Lima in Game 3 of the 2004 NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals. The outing marked both the first complete game of Yamamoto’s MLB career and the first in a postseason game since Justin Verlander in Game 2 of the 2017 ALCS against the New York Yankees. Yamamoto is the first player who was born in Japan to throw a complete game in the MLB playoffs.

After surrendering a leadoff home run to Jackson Chourio on his very first pitch, Yamamoto settled in the rest of the game. He finished his night allowing just three hits and one run over nine innings, while issuing only one walk and striking out seven.

He threw 111 pitches in the complete game, with 81 of them going for strikes.