Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal had little criticism of the pitch that Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang turned into a home run during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Despite the Dodgers' 2-1 loss to Milwaukee, Skubal maintained that he could live with his pitch selection.

Turang led off the fourth inning by driving a 96-mph sinker over the fence. The pitch was located on the inside edge of the strike zone, making the home run an unlikely breakthrough against the Dodgers' ace.

“I'm going to tip my hat on a pitch like that,” Skubal said, explaining that he was comfortable with the inside sinker. “A 2-0 sinker in, I mean, I'm going to live with that left on left.”

The home run was particularly surprising given Turang's struggles against Los Angeles during the previous postseason. He hit just .067, going 1-for-15 against the Dodgers in last year's NLCS.

Turang had been working on his swing late into Friday evening before the series opener. The extra preparation brought back memories of spending long hours practicing in batting cages during his childhood.

“I just didn't want to foul off my knee again,” Turang said. “That's one way to help you stay inside of a ball is hit a ball off your leg or your foot.”

The Brewers infielder acknowledged that the result exceeded what he had initially hoped to accomplish. His approach was focused on making solid contact rather than necessarily producing a home run.

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For Skubal, the moment demonstrated how even a well-executed pitch can produce an unfavorable result. The left-hander allowed two runs over the five innings as Milwaukee took an early series lead.

The defeat came after Skubal had previously embraced the pressure of starting Game 1 against Milwaukee. The Dodgers now face the challenge of responding after dropping the NLCS opener.

Skubal's reaction suggested that Turang's home run would not change his confidence in attacking left-handed hitters inside.