Despite homers from Shohei Ohtani, Miguel Rojas, and Tommy Edman, the Dodgers can’t overcome Milwaukee’s timely hits and lose 8-7, which is their fifth straight loss to the Brewers.

The Milwaukee Brewers not only will be chasing a 10th consecutive victory on Sunday, they will be out to finish a perfect 6-0 season series against the host Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Brewers have been playing great baseball, but expecting them to sweep the Dodgers twice in one month is too much (L.A. is 33-19 at home). Will Smith has destroyed left-handed pitching (179 wRC+), and Shohei Ohtani has been adept at punishing pitchers of either hand, so both are likely to play a part if the Dodgers score runs in bunches.

Ohtani also pitched three innings in his last start at San Francisco last Saturday. He allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one on 36 pitches. The right-hander has a 1.00 ERA, having pitched nine innings total this season.

Is it defensible to refer to the defending National League Central champs as "upstarts?" It is, and such is the state of the expectations -- and the baseball -- in Milwaukee these days. The Brewers on Saturday night in L.