The Los Angeles Dodgers, led by Dave Roberts, have taken a 3-0 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, putting themselves one win away from a return trip to the World Series.
Thursday’s 3-1 victory at Dodger Stadium consolidated their historic dominance, as Los Angeles became the first team in MLB postseason history to allow one or zero runs while permitting four hits or fewer in four consecutive games (h/t Sarah Langs of MLB.com).
Game 3 showcased the Dodgers’ pitching excellence. Starter Tyler Glasnow limited Milwaukee to a single run across 5⅔ innings while striking out eight and issuing three walks. In the first three games, Los Angeles starters have allowed just seven hits, two runs, and struck out 25 batters in 22⅔ innings, maintaining a minuscule postseason ERA of 1.543.
Glasnow’s performance was complemented by a four-reliever bullpen effort over the final 3⅓ innings. Alex Vesia recorded two outs across the sixth and seventh innings, Blake Treinen stranded a runner in the sixth, Anthony Banda pitched a perfect eighth, and Roki Sasaki closed the ninth with flawless precision, aided by a Gold Glove-caliber defensive play from Mookie Betts at shortstop.
The Dodgers’ offense, while not prolific, was efficient. Shohei Ohtani opened the scoring with a leadoff triple in the first inning, the first Dodger leadoff triple in the postseason since Davey Lopes in the 1977 World Series, and was driven home by Betts’ single. The Brewers briefly tied the score in the second inning, but Los Angeles regained the lead in the sixth.
Will Smith singled with one out, followed by a Freddie Freeman walk. Tommy Edman’s RBI single catapulted the Dodgers ahead, and an error by Milwaukee reliever Abner Uribe on a pickoff attempt allowed Freeman to score, giving Los Angeles a 3-1 advantage. The Dodgers also received a morale boost as Ohtani snapped a seven-game postseason slump with his first extra-base hit.
Meanwhile, the Brewers' bats have been largely silent throughout the series. Milwaukee has totaled only three runs on nine hits in 27 innings, trailing for 26 of those innings. Star players have struggled. Christian Yelich has driven in zero runs over 25 postseason games since the 2018 NLCS and is 2-for-12 since Game 2 of the NLDS, while second baseman Brice Turang is 2-for-23 with 11 strikeouts over the same span.
Milwaukee lost Jackson Chourio in the seventh inning with renewed hamstring discomfort. Rookie Jacob Misiorowski was the Brewers’ sole shining light in Game 3, striking out nine over five innings while allowing just one hit and no walks before fatigue set in
History is overwhelmingly against the Brewers. Only one team, the 2004 Boston Red Sox, has ever overcome a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series.
Game 4 takes place Friday night at Dodger Stadium with Ohtani expected to pitch, giving Los Angeles a chance to complete a four-game sweep and move one step closer to repeating as World Series champions, a feat not accomplished since the 1999-2000 New York Yankees.
