Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell hit home runs off Blake Snell in the seventh inning on Wednesday night, powering the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles to take a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.
Eighth-Inning Control and Ninth-Inning Insurance
The Brewers extended their lead to 5-2 in the eighth inning when a wild pitch from Justin Wrobleski allowed Brice Turang to score. Turang had reached base on a single, before advancing on a hit by William Contreras. Milwaukee added another run in the ninth inning on an RBI single by Joey Ortiz with two strikes, solidifying the four-run margin.
Snell Dominance Undone in the Seventh
Before the pivotal seventh frame, Snell had retired 14 batters and struck out nine while walking two across six innings of work. The two-time Cy-Young Award winner began his night by giving up a leadoff home run to Jackson Chourio on his very first pitch of the game. In the seventh, Andrew Vaughn drew a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Christian Yelich. Bauers followed with a home run to right field to put the Brewers ahead 3-2, and Mitchell immediately launched a solo shot to center-right field, chasing Snell from the game after four runs and four hits allowed.
The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, moving them within one win of a World Series berth. pic.twitter.com/ewHwCvExeN
Dodgers Miss Opportunities and Face Historic Deficit
The Dodgers had briefly claimed a 2-1 advantage in the sixth inning when Will Smith hit a two-run double off relief pitcher Abner Uribe. Despite putting runners on base in six of the nine innings, Los Angeles failed to capitalize and remains without a home run through the first three games of the series. The defeat pushes the two-time defending World Series champions to the brink of elimination. The franchise has faced a 0-3 postseason deficit only once previously, during the 1966 final.
Series Dynamics and Game Four Outlook
The Brewers stand one victory away from a sweep, seeking redemption after being swept by these same Dodgers in the 2025 National League Championship Series. Milwaukee has never defeated Los Angeles in three postseason meetings. Game four of the series takes place Thursday in California.
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