The Los Angeles Dodgers moved to the brink of their second straight World Series appearance with a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. The win gives the Dodgers a commanding 3-0 series lead, putting them one victory away from advancing to face the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.
In a matchup that highlighted the Dodgers’ depth and resilience, Los Angeles cracked the Milwaukee pitching staff late, erupting for two crucial runs in the sixth inning to pull away from an early tie. The Dodgers, defending champions, have now limited the Brewers to just three runs across the first three games of the series, showcasing their suffocating defense and timely hitting.
The game began with fireworks in the bottom of the first. Against Brewers opener Aaron Ashby, three of the first four Dodgers batters reached base. Shohei Ohtani ripped a triple to shallow right field, setting the table, and Mookie Betts followed with a double to center that plated Ohtani for a quick 1-0 lead. Brewers manager Pat Murphy wasted no time, pulling Ashby after just 0.1 innings and turning to rookie flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, who struck out the next two batters to escape further damage.
Misiorowski, making his postseason debut, was electric early on, retiring 15 of his first 16 batters faced and fanning nine over his outing. His explosive fastball and sharp slider kept the Dodgers’ potent lineup in check, stranding runners and preserving the tie after Milwaukee evened the score.
The Brewers answered in the top of the second against Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow. Christian Durbin tripled to deep left, and Jake Bauers followed with a single to center that drove in the game-tying run. The rally put early pressure on Glasnow, who also committed an error on a throw, allowing Bauers to advance. Despite the shaky start, Glasnow settled in, allowing just one run over five innings while striking out seven and walking two.
The turning point came in the bottom of the sixth, as the Dodgers finally solved Misiorowski. With one out, a single and a walk put runners on first and second. Tommy Edman then delivered the go-ahead RBI single, scoring the runner from second to make it 2-1. Two batters later, reliever Abner Uribe entered and immediately uncorked a wild pickoff attempt at second base, allowing the runner to score and pushing the lead to 3-1. The error proved costly, as Milwaukee’s offense went quiet thereafter, managing no additional hits or runs.
The Brewers’ night grew darker in the seventh when star outfielder Jackson Chourio exited with what appeared to be a recurrence of his right hamstring injury, further depleting an already struggling lineup. Los Angeles’ bullpen, meanwhile, locked down the final three innings, with rookie sensation Roki Sasaki capping the victory by retiring the side in order in the ninth on just 10 pitches.
Statistically, the Dodgers outhit Milwaukee 5-3, capitalizing on their opportunities while stranding just four runners to the Brewers’ six. Glasnow earned the win (1-0 in the series), while Misiorowski took the hard-luck loss despite his dominant strikeout total.
With the series shifting back to Dodger Stadium for Game 4 on Saturday, the Brewers face an elimination game against a Dodgers team that has won 40 of 41 postseason series after taking a 3-0 lead—a stat that includes 31 outright sweeps. Milwaukee, the regular-season’s best team with 98 wins, must summon a miracle reminiscent of the 2004 Boston Red Sox, the only squad to overcome such a deficit.
As the Dodgers inch closer to a repeat, their postseason dominance continues unabated, blending star power with opportunistic play to keep their championship defense alive.
