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The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 NLCS lead. In Game 4, Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer to help the Dodgers avoid elimination.
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The victory pushed the two-time defending World Series champions to the brink of elimination, as the Dodgers had trailed 3-0 in a postseason series only once previously in franchise history, according to The Guardian.
The Brewers rallied past the Dodgers in the seventh inning after trailing 2-1. Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell hit back-to-back home runs off Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell to reclaim the lead. Bauers hit a 412ft drive to right field, and Mitchell followed with a 428ft shot to right-center, chasing Snell from the game.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, had retired 14 consecutive batters before the seventh inning. He allowed four runs on four hits over six-plus innings, striking out nine and walking two. The Brewers extended their lead to 5-2 in the eighth inning on a wild pitch by Justin Wrobleski that scored Brice Turang. Joey Ortiz added another run with a two-strike RBI single in the ninth.
The Dodgers had taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth on Will Smith’s two-run double off reliever Abner Uribe. Smith, who entered the game batting .043, doubled to left-center for his first hit of the NLCS. The Brewers are on the verge of sweeping the Dodgers, a reversal of last year’s NLCS when Los Angeles eliminated Milwaukee in four games.
In Game 4, played Thursday at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers faced elimination. Shohei Ohtani, who had been batting sixth in Game 3 amid a slump, returned to the leadoff spot. Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was "adamant" that he felt good enough to play, according to MLB.com.
Ohtani delivered a three-run home run in the second inning off former teammate Dustin May, giving the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. It was Ohtani’s first home run since Aug. 18, breaking a career-high streak of 115 plate appearances without a long ball, according to MLB.com. The home run was projected at 428 feet and left the bat at 113.1 mph.
The Dodgers had struggled offensively in the series, failing to hit a home run in the first three games. Ohtani’s homer marked the Dodgers’ first of the NLCS. The New York Post reported that Ohtani displayed a rare show of raw emotion, flinging his bat and screaming as he rounded the bases.
The Brewers entered Game 4 with a chance to advance to the World Series with a win. The Dodgers, facing elimination, started right-hander Tyler Glasnow, while the Brewers started left-hander Shane Drohan. The game was broadcast on Fox.
The Brewers’ 3-0 lead puts them one win away from the World Series, a significant achievement for a team that has never beaten the Dodgers in three previous postseason series. For the Dodgers, avoiding a sweep is critical to maintaining their status as defending champions, though they face a historic deficit. Ohtani’s performance in Game 4 offers a potential turning point for the Dodgers’ offense, which had been starved of power in the series.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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