Craig Counsell explains his move to pull starter Wade Miley after just five pitches, saying that it was all part of the game plan. (0:51)

Counsell on pulling Miley: 'That was the plan all along' (0:51)

LOS ANGELES -- Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell took his National League Championship Series chess match with Dodgers counterpart Dave Roberts to a new level in the early stages of Wednesday's 5-2 Game 5 loss.

Counsell pulled starter Wade Miley after he walked Dodgers leadoff man Cody Bellinger on five pitches. Miley is a lefty, as is Bellinger, but most of Los Angeles' lineup was composed of right-handed hitters.

Right-hander Brandon Woodruff replaced Miley, and got out of the first inning unscathed. But he allowed three runs (two earned) total in 5⅓ innings, taking the loss.

Miley will start Game 6 on Friday in Milwaukee, something Counsell said was his plan from the outset.

"If we went down 3-1, we were considering having Wade pitch this game," Counsell said. "But other than that, this is kinda what we decided we were gonna do."

Miley will now start what is an elimination game for the Brewers as they trail the best-of-seven series 3-2. He said he learned of Counsell's likely gambit a couple of days ago.

"It was a little bit different to try to get mentally prepared to go out and face one hitter," Miley said. "You go out and do the whole starting routine. In the end, just got to get outs."

Miley went through the routine day-before-a-start news conference that pitchers are obligated to conduct Tuesday, knowing he was likely getting just one batter. He did his best to stay more vague than dishonest.

"I didn't lie," Miley said. "I didn't lie about nothing. I just answered the questions to the best of my knowledge, and just left a few little details out."

The obvious question: Did Miley mind ostensibly being used as a decoy?