The Milwaukee Brewers had an amazing season, where they finished with 97 wins to set a new team record and best record in all of baseball. They looked like a real World Series contender even when they beat the Cubs in game 5 of the NLCS after losing back-to-back.  Then, they faced the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NLCS, a team that they had defeated all six times in their regular season matchups.

But the playoffs were a different story, and the defending champions’ powerful pitching staff shut them down hard. The Brewers lost the series in a four-game sweep and managed to score only one run in each game. And the final Game 5, where the Dodgers punched their ticket back to the Fall Classic, was a complete one-man show.  And Shohei Ohtani was the MVP of the game. He single-handedly dismantled the Brewers’ offense while pitching six scoreless innings with ten strikeouts. And on the plate, Ohtani went 3-for-3 with three home runs.

This historic performance left Brewers manager Pat Murphy speechless. He had no excuses for the loss. He simply tipped his cap to the man who beat him. “You know, we faced, uh, a really, really talented team. They played really, really good,” Murphy said. “We were part of tonight, an iconic, you know, maybe the best individual performance ever in a postseason game. “I don’t think anybody can argue with that. Guy punches out 10 and hits three homers.”

What makes this story even crazier is Ohtani’s slump. His bat was ice-cold coming into this game, where he went 6-for-38 so far this playoffs with an eight-game homer drought and  17 strikeouts. At one point, Manager Dave Roberts had to defend him, saying, “I’ll bet on him all day long.” That bet hopefully paid off in the biggest way possible, where Ohtani did not just break his slump, he became the first player in MLB history to hit three homers and strike out ten batters in one game. He was also the first pitcher ever to hit a leadoff home run and is only the 12th player to hit three homers in any playoff game.

And it’s not just Murphy; everyone in the dugout was in awe. His teammate Mookie Betts said, “I said it multiple times, we’re like the Bulls and he’s Michael Jordan.” Last season’s World Series MVP Freddie Freeman said, “Sometimes you’ve got to check yourself and touch him to make sure he’s not just made of steel.” And even Ohtani’s manager, Dave Roberts, called it the best ever. “That was probably the greatest postseason performance of all time,” Roberts said. “There’s a reason why he’s the greatest player on the planet.”

Ohtani was named the NLCS MVP and proved that even in a slump, he is just one game away from making history. Everything was fine, and Ohtani’s storm was the final blow, but the Brewers’ dugout knows

The team had other chances to win this series

Ohtani was not the only reason the Brewers are going home. Their bats went silent for the entire series. The team’s batting average was .118. This is the lowest average in the history of any best-of-seven playoff series.

Former MVP Christian Yelich went just 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts throughout the series, and Catcher William Contreras was 0-for-10 in the first three games. First baseman Andrew Vaughn, who hit two clutch homers in the NLDS against the Cubs, matched him, also going 0-for-10. And even players like Brice Turang (1-for-12) and Jackson Chourio (1-for-11) struggled badly in their first three games. And they collectively added only four total runs in four games.

That’s why Murphy said, “The pitching performances by the Dodgers basically put the hammer down.” He also said previously,” We chased way more than we’ve chased all year. We’ve been the best in baseball at not chasing. These pitchers brought out the worst in us.”

So what is next for the Brewers? They have a massive decision to make in the upcoming offseason. Starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and José Quintana are both expected to leave as free agents. Plus, there are even rumors that they could trade their ace, Freddy Peralta, which creates a hole in their rotation.. They will also likely lose first baseman Rhys Hoskins and catcher Danny Jansen this winter.

And as for the Dodgers, the journey continues. They are now just four wins away from becoming the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back titles. They will face the winner of the ALCS for their next series on Friday.