Brice Turang gave Milwaukee its answer in the fourth inning of NLCS Game 1, turning a one-run deficit into fresh life with a rare opposite-field home run against left-hander Tarik Skubal. The Brewers had owned the best regular-season record in baseball, and their second baseman supplied another October moment as the club opened its National League pennant series against the Dodgers.
Turang’s fourth-inning answer
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| Inning | Fourth |
| Score before at-bat | Dodgers 1, Brewers 0 |
| Count | 2-0 |
| Pitch | 95.5 mph sinker, inside |
| Home run distance | 384 feet |
| Exit velocity | 102.5 mph |
Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, had been in command before Turang stepped in. Turang got himself into a favorable count, then kept his hands tight enough to send an inner-third sinker out toward left-center field. It was a tying shot that helped Milwaukee seize an early edge in the series.
The swing belonged in unusual company. An opposite-field homer on an inside fastball in a lefty-versus-lefty matchup had happened only four times across the 2026 regular season and postseason. Shohei Ohtani had produced the other three.
That is especially notable because Turang is not built like Ohtani. Ohtani is listed four inches taller and 20 pounds heavier, while Turang’s average swing speed is 4.6 mph lower. Turang nevertheless brings solid impact of his own, carrying a 90.3 mph average exit velocity that ranked in the 71st percentile.
There were only three such homers in all of 2025. Two came in the hitter-friendly home parks of Colorado and the Athletics, while the other was hit by James Wood.
Late cage work carried into October
Turang’s blast also came after a difficult regular season against left-handed pitching. He hit .216/.307/.313 against southpaws, with three homers, before the postseason arrived.
He had gone 2-for-16 against San Diego in the National League Division Series, then remained at the ballpark Friday for extra cage work with Brewers hitting coach Daniel Vogelbach. The Game 1 swing offered the immediate payoff.
“I grew up hitting late into the night,” Turang said. “At times, it takes me back to being a kid and simply enjoying the cage.”
Next up
Game 2 of the NLCS is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. CT and 2 p.m. PT, with coverage on FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One.
