Dodgers vs. Brewers score: Shohei Ohtani hits three homers, strikes out 10 as L.A. heads back to World Series

The defending champion Dodgers are headed to the World Series for the second straight season, looking to become the first repeat champions in Major League Baseball since 2000, when the Yankees completed a threepeat. The NLCS is now concluded with the Dodgers finishing a four-game sweep. They won Game 4, 5-1. 

They did so on the strength of arguably the greatest individual performance in playoff history. Shohei Ohtani hit three home runs at the plate and picked up the victory on the mound. He was 3 for 3 with a walk, three home runs, three RBI and three runs as an offensive player. He threw six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and three walks while striking out 10 on the mound. 

Ohtani became the 12th player to have a three-HR playoff game. It is the 13th time it has happened, as Babe Ruth had two three-homer games. Ruth wasn't pitching in either of those games, nor was anyone else who ever had a three-homer playoff game. Just Ohtani. 

Will Smith had two hits. Mookie Betts had a hit. So did Freddie Freeman and Tommy Edman. The Dodgers used several relievers who didn't allow any runs, notably Alex Vesia inheriting two runners and stranding both. 

But this game was all Shohei Ohtani. He single-handedly dominated it. 

The Dodgers are now the first repeat pennant-winner since the 2008-09 Phillies. They await the winners of the Mariners-Blue Jays ALCS, which is headed for Game 6 on Sunday night. 

Game 1 of the World Series is set for Friday, Oct. 24.

On a fielder's choice that was a few inches from being an inning-ending double play, the Brewers finally scored a run. It is 5-1 Dodgers.

We're at the point where this might be the greatest playoff performance in history. Shohei Ohtani just hit his third home run of the game. 

He threw six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts on the mound.

This is only off the top of my head, but there's no way anyone has ever done more in a playoff game. Babe Ruth wasn't a pitcher when he hit three homers. 

Alex Vesia came on in relief of Shohei Ohtani with two runners on and no out. It felt like the Brewers had to break through in order to have a chance. Vesia got a pop out and unassisted double play from Mookie Betts at shortstop. It is 4-0 Dodgers through seven innings and that really felt like the Brewers' last gasp.

Two loud outs for the Dodgers against Chad Patrick and the Brewers in the bottom of the fifth, but they were outs nonetheless. The Brewers need to get to work on offense. They trail by four runs and have four innings left to avoid getting swept in this NLCS.

Shohei Ohtani in the fourth inning hit his second home run of the night. It was a gargantuan blast, up toward the very top of the right-field bleacher area. 

Ohtani recently went through a 1 for 20 stretch, but you can't keep an all-time great player like Ohtani down for long. He tripled and scored to start Game 3 and now has two homers before the halfway point of Game 4. Ohtani now has four home runs this postseason and seven in his MLB playoff career. 

Remember, Ohtani is also pitching. He's struck out six through four scoreless, one-hit innings. He has also become the first pitcher ever to have a two-HR game in the playoffs.

It's now 4-0 Dodgers on Ohtani's second long home run of the night.

Brewers have a knock. Jackson Chourio with an automatic double.

Nifty work by Chad Patrick to keep the deficit at 3-0. Dodgers have yet to surrender a hit.

Brewers turning to their bullpen here in the third. Chad Patrick is coming in.

Dodgers with consecutive singles here in the third. They're looking to break this one open.

So far, Shohei Ohtani has thrown two scoreless innings with three strikeouts on 29 pitches and has also hit a home run. 

Two down here in the first.

Still runners on the corners with one down. 

Dodgers aren't letting up. Jose Quintana hasn't recorded an out three batters in.

Ohtani hasn't had the best postseason to date, but he struck out three batters in the top of the first and now he's led off the botto half with a mammoth home run.

Take a look:

The Dodgers, with a win, would win the National League pennant. They're attempting to become MLB's first repeat World Series champion in 25 years.

Shohei Ohtani walked one hitter and struck out three in the first.

Ohtani delivers a ball to get us going.

It's Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers against José Quintana of the Brewers. The Dodgers can become the first team to win back-to-back pennants since the 2008-09 Phillies. The Brewers need a miracle run of four straight wins to avoid elimination.