For the second consecutive NLCS game, Jake Bauers has delivered.
The Milwaukee Brewers first baseman worked a 12-pitch at-bat in Game 2 on Monday, fouling off six straight pitches from Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto before taking ball four to load the bases with two outs. Christian Yelich then ripped a go-ahead RBI single into center field. The Brewers went on to win Game 2 7-4.
Blake Snell had been dealing, retiring 14 Brewers batters in a row after giving up a leadoff homer to Jackson Chourio on the first pitch of the game. That streak ended when he walked Andrew Vaughn to lead off the top of the seventh. Enter Bauers. The 31-year-old fouled off five pitches from Snell, the most dangerous of which was a hard liner on a hanging slider that he pulled just foul to right before it could clear the stands.
Snell got away with that one. The next pitch, the 11th of the at-bat, however, a 97.8 mph fastball in the exact same location, would be a different story.
Bauers got all of it, driving the ball 412 feet to right field for a no-doubt, go-ahead home run.
Garrett Mitchell added on with a 428-footer of his own two pitches later, putting an end to the former Cy Young winner's night as the Brewers took a late 4-2 lead on the Dodgers.
Declan Meredith plays with Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson out
New Zealand make three changes to starting XV for Sydney clash
Australia coach Les Kiss has named Declan Meredith as starting flyhalf and uncapped playmaker Harry McLaughlin-Phillips as back-up for Saturday’s second Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Sydney.
Kiss suffered the first defeat of his reign as coach in the thumping 50-19 loss last week in Auckland that ensured the All Blacks would retain the Bledisloe Cup for the 24th straight year.
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche have battled overturned goals, a flurry of penalties and a costly turnover, but they refuse to go away quietly against the Dallas Stars.
After Gabriel Landeskog finally put Colorado on the board in the second period, Dallas answered through Miro Heiskanen before Arttu Hyry capitalized on a Cale Makar turnover to give the Stars a 2-1 lead early in the third. But Brock Nelson came through with a timely rebound goal at 8:21, tying the game at 2 and reigniting the crowd as the third period continues at Ball Arena.
First Period
Colorado appeared to get off to a quick start when Jaden Schwartz buried a rebound just 1:55 into the game off an initial shot from Fedor Svechkov. However, Dallas challenged the play for offsides, and the goal was overturned.
The Avalanche soon found themselves shorthanded after Brent Burns was called for tripping Colin Blackwell. Colorado’s penalty kill came through, keeping the game scoreless.
Nazem Kadri following practice on Monday at Family Sports Center.
Things got chippy at the 7:24 mark when Jamie Benn reached down and pulled Artturi Lehkonen’s helmet off during a battle along the boards. The officials caught the move, sending Benn to the box for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Colorado nearly paid for it anyway. Dallas turned the early stages of the power play into a 2-on-2 rush, with Arttu Hyry closing in on Scott Wedgewood, but the Avalanche goaltender shut the door with a glove save.
Colorado thought it had finally found the back of the net again moments later. Schwartz fired a one-timer that bounced off Casey DeSmith’s pads, and Gabriel Landeskog knocked in the rebound off his right skate. The officials ruled that Landeskog kicked the puck in, wiping away Colorado’s second goal of the period before the midway point.
The penalties continued when Brett Kulak dropped Tyler Seguin following a post-whistle slash, earning a roughing minor. Colorado killed that one off as well, then nearly took the lead when Sam Malinski fired a wrist shot through traffic, only for DeSmith to come up with a glove save.
Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen gave Colorado another power-play opportunity with a tripping penalty on Nathan MacKinnon with 5:50 remaining. The Avalanche couldn’t capitalize, but another penalty followed when Mikko Rantanen tripped Malinski after the two exchanged cross-checks.
Colorado finished the period scoreless, with 17 seconds remaining on Rantanen’s penalty.
Second Period
The Avalanche finally broke through at 4:55 of the second period, and it was a well-worked goal.
Malinski kept the puck alive at the point before sliding it over to Nazem Kadri, who found Landeskog in front of the net. The Colorado captain redirected the pass past DeSmith to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.
After having two goals overturned in the opening period, Colorado finally had one that counted. The Avalanche now have the lead as the second period continues.
Dallas tied it with less than five minutes to go in the period after former Av Mikko Rantanen fed Miro Heiskanen, who snuck into the zone undetected in the low slot, with a one-timer that sizzled by Wedgewood.
We entered the third period with a tie game.
Third Period
After Rantanen committed his second penalty of the game early in the third after tripping Nazem Kadri, Cale Makar made a $20.4 million turnover as he was stripped of the puck by Arttu Hyru, who beat Wedgewood on the breakaway to give Dallas a 2-1 lead.
And Gavin Brindley had everyone fooled. He fired what appeared to be a goal, but it rang off the post as 18,000 fans roared only for reality to strike moments later when no celebratory goal horn ensued.
Colorado's luck finally turned around at the 8:21 mark when Brock Nelson was just in the right place at the right time to capitalize on a rebound off a howitzer one-timer from Artturi Lehkonen and knocked in the rebound to tie the game at 2. Credit goes to Nazem Kadri as well, who took a big hit along the boards as he got the pass of to Lehkonen.
Not so long ago, Ollie Davies was back playing grade cricket for Manly, wondering whether a change of scenery might be the answer to his cricketing woes.
In a social media post, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call said Major League Baseball playoffs broadcasts have featured "soft porn ads" and that "parents shouldn't have to worry about this."
Call is not on the Dodgers' active roster for the NL Championship Series – but is with the team – and posted on X about how his son wanted to watch a game with him and that the commercials left him trying to "justify ... half-naked women" on his screen.
Advertisements featuring Megan Fox and Sydney Sweeney have been in heavy rotation during this year's playoff broadcasts across multiple platforms.
Call appeared in 88 games for the Dodgers in the 2026 regular season after playing seven postseason games in 2025.
Can we please get the soft porn ads off playoff broadcasts, TBS, Fox, NBC, @MLB? My son wants to watch baseball with Dada, but how do I justify that when a half-naked women could come on screen anytime?? This is America’s Pastime. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about this. https://t.co/7YAWSZgo5d
Jackson Chourio opened Game 3 of the National League Championship Series with the loudest statement possible, ambushing Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell on the first pitch of the game. He sent it deep to right field for a no-doubt leadoff home run into the pavilion seats to give the Milwaukee Brewers an early 1-0 lead.
Snell began the game by trying to establish his fastball but left it just over the plate. Chourio, who hit a career-high 25 homers this season, didn't miss it.
Snell bounced back immediately and struck out Brice Turang, William Contreras and Andrew Vaughn to retire the side, but the Dodgers are now immediately playing catch-up in a crucial Game 3.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday’s 3-1 win for the Rays, leveled their series at 1-1. It also did not help the offensive slump which has been true for much of the post-season. It chipped another four points off the collective playoff OPS, which is now down to .629. We’re already the lowest since the beginning of the wild-card era in 1995. Fifteen more points and it’ll match the 1983 figure. This has been reflected in a lack of people crossing home-plate. Teams have averaged only 3.47 runs per game. That’s also the lowest in the wild-card era, though we don’t get to go back quite so far: the 1991 post-season managed 3.42, while the previous season was all the way down at 3.18.
Of course, in those days, there was only three series, so outliers were more likely. There were only 14 games in that 1990 post-season, both the ALCS and the World Series finishing in 4-0 sweeps. This year, there have already been more than twice as many. 29 all told, between the four wild-card rounds, the four Division Series, and the four games in the Championship Series. The all-time mark, unsurprisingly, is the 2020 playoffs, when there were 53 games in total needed to determine the champion. If MLB get their way, that record might be challenged under the next CBA, if they shift games from the regular season into the post-season.
Anyway, the NLCS continues, with the Brewers looking to move to the brink of the World Series!
Milwaukee Brewers @ Los Angeles Dodgers (2-0): 5:00 pm, FS1
Oct 12, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) strikes out against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning in game two of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Technically speaking, this game is not a “must win” for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Down 2-0 in a best-of-seven gives, the back-to-back champs still have a tiny room for error, and they are back in the friendly confines of Chavez Ravine, where they went 51-33 during the regular season. No one is going to be putting them out to pasture just yet.
That said, it is entirely possible that they have simply come up against MLB’s best team in the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers led the league in wins, runs scored, and run differential this season. The Dodgers were close behind in each of those metrics, but just like they were chasing the Brewers for the NL’s number one seed during the final two months of the season, they seem to be a beat behind in the first two games of this series.
Shohei Ohtani’s struggles are not a small part of the story here. He’s 1-for-7 with three strikeouts in this series. This follows a nightmarish September for him in which he was injured and then underperforming. He is probably still hurt quite badly. At the same time, the rest of the lineup has also struggled. They have one extra-base hit through two games, and have gone 1-f0r-10 with runners in scoring position.
Brewers at Dodgers, 8:00 p.m., FS1
Brewers lead series 2-0
LHP Robert Gasser (5-5, 3.87 ERA) vs. LHP Blake Snell (4-1, 1.90 ERA)
How long will Snell stick around in this game? As long as he is effective. He last pitched on October 4 against the Braves. That day he worked 3.2 innings and allowed one run while walking five and striking out five. The lefty has never been known for his longevity, so if he gets through the order twice the Dodgers have to consider it a win.
Gasser worked four innings and allowed one run to the Padres in Game 4 of the NLDS, his most recent outing. He ended the regular season on a run of allowing four earned runs over his final four starts (22.2 innings). Similar to Snell, they will hope to get him through an order twice, and then turn to the bullpen.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: A general view of signage prior to game two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Only one game today. Two games tomorrow, but the Rays/Guardians game has been moved to 1:00 Eastern to avoid expected bad weather. I don’t know about how it is where you live, but if we expect bad weather tomorrow evening, we could get bad weather anytime between tonight and a week from next Thursday. But perhaps weather comes when predicted in Cleveland.
Anyway, the Brewers are up 2-0. A win tonight would make me very happy.
Today’s lineups, with Ohtani batting 6th:
Today’s Lineups
BREWERS
DODGERS
Jackson Chourio – LF
Mookie Betts – SS
Brice Turang – 2B
Freddie Freeman – 1B
William Contreras – C
Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Andrew Vaughn – DH
Kyle Tucker – RF
Jake Bauers – 1B
Andy Pages – CF
Garrett Mitchell – CF
Shohei Ohtani – DH
Cooper Pratt – SS
Will Smith – C
Luis Lara – RF
Miguel Rojas – 3B
Joey Ortiz – 3B
Tommy Edman – 2B
Robert Gasser – LHP
Blake Snell – LHP
I won’t be in the thread today. We bowl on Wednesday nights….which I still find hard to say. But my name is on a bowling trophy. Not that I’m any good at it, but because they have a weird way of scoring you against your average, and since I had never bowled, it was easy to improve. Where the ones that have bowled for years have a much harder time beating their average.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during Game Two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers return home with their collective backs against the wall as the Brewers head west with a 2-0 NLCS lead. Blake Snell gets the start for the Dodgers in game 3 while the Brewers will put their trust in Robert Gasser. First pitch is scheduled for 7pm central time with the game broadcast being handled by Fox/FS1.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 12: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a two-run single in the third inning during Game Two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been a busy day for the Phillies, but there is an NLCS game tonight.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays tied up at a game apiece and taking an off day to move the series to Cleveland, attention shifts back to the National League fully on Wednesday night.
The Dodgers are in trouble. With Shohei Ohtani presumably battling injuries and entirely ineffective at the plate over the past few months, the supposed game destroying superpower is in a lot of trouble. An otherwise aging lineup has had nothing to offer Brewers pitching through the first two games of the series. They need to turn things around immediately, but they’ve already sent both Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound in the series.
Instead of their aces, their hopes will have to rest on Blake Snell’s shoulders. The southpaw is still a high end strikeout artist capable of pitching like a true ace in short bursts, but his tendency to lose control and give up tons of walks and get knocked out early makes him a real wild card to pin the Dodgers hopes on. Of course, their bullpen is still excellent. They just have to get them a lead to defend. We’ll see if home cooking starts to turn the tide tonight, and whether Snell has another gem in him.
As for the Brewers, they’re certainly in the driver’s seat, but the longer the series goes on, the more their rotation depth could be exposed. They need to keep the pressure on the Dodgers and look to knock them out as fast as possible.
This one gets underway from Dodgers Stadium at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
LHP Robert Gasser (0-0, 2.25 ERA) gets the start for Milwaukee against LHP Blake Snell (0-0, 2.45 ERA).
The Los Angeles Dodgers have countless celebrity fans. But Mary Hart stands above them all.
The former "Entertainment Tonight" host has been a longtime fan and season ticket holder of the Dodgers. This season, the defending champions marched into the National League Championship Series.
The Milwaukee Brewers have had Front Row Amy in the, well, front row of their historic season. They are up 2-0 on the Dodgers in the series and, if they oust Los Angeles, will reach only their second World Series in franchise history.
Betts was on the other side of the diamond when Hart went viral in the 2018 World Series for cheering on her team against the Boston Red Sox. Now, Betts and the Dodgers attempt a comeback in a bid to reach, and win, their third consecutive World Series.
Why did Mary Hart go viral during Dodgers' 2018 World Series?
Mary Hart cheered on the Dodgers throughout the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, even attending the first two games with her husband, Burt Sugarman, at Fenway Park.
During the historic 18-inning Game 3 in Los Angeles, she did her best to throw off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. She stood in the crowd to the side of home plate late in the matchup and imitated the closer's unique pitching stance where he leaned over at a 90-degree angle with his arm at his side. While wearing her signature bright blue vintage Dodgers sweater, she bobbed up and down, catching the attention of the internet and of fans watching.
"I noticed how peculiar it was, just mechanically. How does he get his arms around and everything?" Hart told MLB.com ahead of Game 4. "It was just kind of spontaneous – I'm going to get up there and do what he's doing. ...
"There was a little bit of, 'Maybe I can throw him off a little.' He's a hell of a pitcher."
Why did Mary Hart become a Dodgers fan?
Mary Hart moved to Los Angeles in 1979, she told MLB.com. Soon after, she was a bat girl for the Hollywood Stars minor league game at Dodger Stadium and met Tommy Lasorda. She told him of her dream to sing the National Anthem at a Dodgers game and he made it happen. She's had a fierce loyalty to the team ever since.
Oct 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; The NLCS and T-Mobile logos in the dugout at the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers make a third attempt at their first victory of the National League Championship Series.
Shohei Ohtani bats sixth for the first time since September 19, 2020 while with the Angels. Will Smith went from batting third in Game 1 of this series, down to fifth in Game 2 and now seventh in Game 3.
