UPDATE: The Los Angeles Dodgers surged to victory on Thursday, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, taking a commanding 3-0 lead. With just one win needed to secure a spot in the World Series, the Dodgers are on the brink of history as they aim to become the first defending champion to return to the World Series since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies.
This victory places the Dodgers just one game away from achieving a feat not seen since the legendary 1998-2000 New York Yankees, who won three consecutive titles. Game 4 is set for Friday, and the Brewers face the daunting task of overcoming a rare postseason deficit—only one team, the 2004 Boston Red Sox, has ever bounced back from a 3-0 series hole.
The game began with excitement as Shohei Ohtani tripled off Aaron Ashby in the bottom of the first, scoring on a double by Mookie Betts to give the Dodgers an early lead. However, the Brewers tied the game in the second with an RBI single from Jake Bauers. Despite the brief setback, the Dodgers quickly regained control, thanks to a pivotal sixth inning.
Tommy Edman delivered a crucial tiebreaking single against rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, helping the Dodgers score two runs in the sixth. Edman’s hit, following a single from Will Smith and a walk by Freddie Freeman, gave Los Angeles a 2-1 advantage. Edman’s low slider into center field allowed Smith to score, aided by a weak throw from Sal Frelick. The inning worsened for the Brewers when Abner Uribe made a wild pickoff throw past first base, allowing Freeman to score, marking the second consecutive game with an error by the Brewers’ closer.
Tyler Glasnow pitched effectively for Los Angeles, allowing only three hits and three walks while striking out eight over 5 and 2/3 innings. The crowd of 51,251 applauded him as he exited the game. Relief pitcher Alex Vesia secured two outs for his second win of the playoffs, while Roki Sasaki closed the game with a perfect ninth inning, earning his third save of the postseason.
With this win, the Dodgers have now outperformed their postseason competitors with a stellar combined ERA of 1.54 from their starters, including Glasnow, Ohtani, Blake Snell, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Brewers, who swept the Dodgers 6-0 during the regular season, have now lost their last ten postseason road games dating back to 2018.
The Dodgers are set to make history if they can clinch the series in Game 4 on Friday. Fans and analysts alike are eagerly watching to see if Los Angeles can complete the sweep and return to the World Series, a moment that would resonate deeply within the franchise and its supporters.