LOS ANGELES — Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell hit back-to-back homers off Blake Snell as Milwaukee regained the lead in the seventh inning, and the Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Wednesday to take a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.
Los Angeles had just taken a 2-1 lead in the sixth before getting stunned. The loss pushed the two-time defending World Series champions to the brink of elimination.
“All three games we’ve played so far, and hopefully that continues, where just every time they score, we come back and score,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s not easy to do in baseball.”
Game 4 is Thursday at Dodger Stadium, where the Brewers can become the first major league club to complete a postseason sweep after getting swept by that same opponent in the previous postseason. Los Angeles took all four games against Milwaukee in the NLCS last year.
The only other time the Dodgers trailed 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, they were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 World Series.
The lone team in big league history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees.
“We’ve won four in a row a number of times this year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve got to win tomorrow. That’s our only focus.”
Coming into the seventh, Snell had retired 14 batters in a row. The first pitch of the game thrown by the two-time Cy Young Award winner was hit for a home run by Jackson Chourio, and his last pitch was Mitchell’s solo shot.
Andrew Vaughn drew a seven-pitch walk to open the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Christian Yelich. Bauers followed with a 412-foot drive to right field on the 11th pitch of the at-bat for a 3-2 lead as most of the players in Milwaukee’s dugout came onto the field to celebrate.
Mitchell was next and his drive traveled 428 feet to right-center. That chased Snell, who hadn’t given up a home run in 46 1/3 innings this year entering the game. It was only the second time in his career the left-hander served up multiple home runs to left-handed hitters in one game.
And it was the latest relentless plate appearance for Bauers, who drew a 12-pitch walk from Yoshinobu Yamamoto that helped the Brewers go ahead early in Game 2.
Milwaukee, which has never beaten the Dodgers in three previous playoff series, is chasing its second pennant and first in the National League. The Brewers were in the American League when they reached their only World Series, a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.
Snell gave up four runs and four hits in six innings, struck out nine and walked two.
The Brewers extended the lead to 5-2 in the eighth on Justin Wrobleski’s wild pitch that scored Brice Turang, who reached on an infield single and advanced to third on William Contreras’ single. They added another run on Joey Ortiz’s two-strike RBI single in the ninth.
The offensively starved Dodgers took their first lead, 2-1, on Will Smith’s two-run double off reliever Abner Uribe in the sixth.
After rookie starter Robert Gasser pitched five shutout innings, Uribe entered and loaded the bases on walks to Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Shohei Ohtani. Smith, who was 1 for 25 in the playoffs, doubled off the left-center fence with one out for his first hit of the NLCS.
DL Hall took over from Uribe and stranded runners at second and third by striking out pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman.
Hall allowed one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to improve to 3-0 in these playoffs. Trevor Megill got four outs for his second save of the series and fourth this postseason.
The Dodgers played from behind again after the 22-year-old Chourio connected for his third career leadoff homer as fans were still heading to their seats.
After that, Mitchell walked and Cooper Pratt singled in the second before Snell retired 14 in a row — six on strikeouts — before getting hammered in the seventh.
The Dodgers had runners on base in all but three innings, but couldn’t get enough across. They have yet to homer in the NLCS.
Ohtani was 1 for 2 with a walk while hitting sixth in the order, the lowest he’s batted since joining the Dodgers three years ago.
As the postseason wraps up without the Braves, it’s beginning to get into the season for awards and a flurry of offseason activity before the seemingly inevitable lockout.
California Post senior sports reporter Edward Lewis captured multiple videos of fans exiting the stadium behind the bleachers in centerfield.
The news of the Dodgers leaving early came after they failed to fill out the stadium.
Dodgers fans exit NLCS Game 3 matchup early. Edward Lewis of The California PostDodgers fans leave Game 3 of the NLCS early. Edward Lewis of The California Post
From the game’s opening pitch until the final out, Dodger Stadium was littered with empty seats, with the colors of blue and yellow chairs sprinkled throughout — even though the cost of tickets plummeted by 42% before the game began.
With Wednesday’s loss, the Dodgers are now facing a 3-0 deficit in the series and are a game away from being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Dodgers spent most of the game trailing the Brewers after Jackson Chourio made history on the game’s opening pitch.
Chourio saw a fastball come his way on the first pitch of the game and sent it over the right center-field fence for a solo home run.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani reacts to being walked in the sixth inning. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell settled in from there, striking out nine batters through six innings.
With the bases loaded and only one out, Smith hit a two-RBI double to score Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernandez.
Through most of the postseason, the Dodgers have struggled to bring runners home while in scoring position, and did just that after Smith’s rally starter as he and Shohei Ohtani were left stranded on third and second after Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman were struck out to end the inning.
Blake Snell gave up back-to-back home runs to the Brewers in the seventh inning. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Jake Bauers worked an 11-pitch at-bat against Snell in the inning and finished it with a two-run homer to end the game. Garrett Mitchell followed in the next at-bat by launching a changeup that was left hanging over the middle of the plate, 428 feet towards center field to make it a 4-2 game.
Milwaukee tacked on one more run in the eighth, sending the fans home. After they left, Joey Ortiz hit an RBI single to left to give the game its final score.
As the Dodgers are on the verge of being swept in the playoffs for the first time since 2023, they will host Milwaukee for Game 4 on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. PT.
Nets coach Jordi Fernández said preseason games may not count, but they matter. They’re less about wins and losses but playing hard and well.
The Nets’ preseason finale was their first defeat, beaten 144-128 by Miami before a sellout crowd of 19,600 at Kaseya Center.
And tuneup or no, there were plenty of positives, negatives and questions to be taken from Wednesday night.
The good?
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, drives on Michael Porter Jr. during the Nets’ 144-128 preseason loss to the Heat on Oct. 14, 2026 in Miami. NBAE via Getty Images
Michael Porter Jr.’s game-high 27 points on 4-for-8 shooting from deep. And some of the youth, from rookie Mikel Brown Jr.’s 15-point preseason debut to sophomores Egor Dëmin (17 points on 4-for-7 from deep, three assists, two steals) and Nolan Traore (12 points, five assists).
The bad?
All-Star Julius Randle (4-for-13, game-worst minus-19) and veteran Moritz Wagner (minus-13 in 22 minutes). And Porter’s lone rebound won’t cut it.
And the downright ugly?
Defending the paint and protecting the rim. The Nets never came close to doing either.
“[The problem was] just defense. I mean, it was a very poor defensive game,” Fernández admitted. “[It’s the] second time that we’ve given up in one half 70 points — 69 in the first half, 75 in the second. That’s unacceptable. And if we want to be a competitive team, we have to play better defense than that.”
The Nets — who finished preseason 3-1 — were outscored a staggering 62-38 in the paint, allowing 31-for-40 shooting. Much of that was a combination of Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominance and Day’Ron Sharpe’s early foul trouble.
The first may well have led to the other.
Julius Randle, who had an off night, looks to make a play as Klay Thompson defends during the Nets’ preseason loss to the Heat. NBAE via Getty Images
Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists and three blocks, a plus-15 in just 23 minutes. He may have been one dime shy of a triple-double, but was plenty good enough to be the deciding factor Wednesday.
The Nets tried to attack the paint early with Miami’s Bam Adebayo out, but their own rim protection was far more lacking.
Sharpe picked up three quick first-quarter fouls in just 4:49, and Antetokounmpo had his way. The Nets failed to pick him up early, and let him get a head of steam. They ended up paying for it, falling behind by as much as 13.
The Nets watched Antetokounmpo pile up 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three blocks by halftime, when they trailed 69-66.
Porter was on fire throughout, but Dëmin catching fire helped the Nets erase a double-digit deficit into a brief third-quarter lead.
Brief.
Dëmin’s assist to Sharpe put the Nets up 76-75. And his 3-pointer off a Porter feed gave them an 84-83 edge with 7:12 left in the third.
But the Nets coughed up 10 unanswered and never recovered.
Davion Mitchell needed six stitches on his face after he fell into Sharpe’s knee to open the third.
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 13: Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks host the Raptors (2-1) Thursday at Madison Square Garden in the final preseason game for both. Revenge? Do preseason scrimmages matter enough to call this a revenge game? Winning would be nice, though. The world champs have dropped all four of their preseason games, with the worst game of the bunch coming on Tuesday in Toronto.
On the second night of a back-to-back, coach Mike Brown rested his starters and the reserves suffered a 50-point beating. Kawhi Leonard (in his first game since rejoining the Raps) scored 21 points in 17 minutes. Scottie Barnes added 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. Collin Murray-Boyles dropped 19 and nine. RJ Barrett had 17. James Wiseman led New York with 18 points and 10 rebounds while the rest of the team struggled to stay in their shorts.
The takeaway? When Toronto plays its actual rotation and New York does not, the gap is wide.
Toronto is built with two-way versatility and physicality up front. With Leonard and Barnes on the wing, and Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in the backcourt, they have enough talent to be a problem. Jakob Poeltl anchors the paint and remains a serviceable center.
New York has spent the preseason evaluating depth pieces and managing minutes for the starters. Tonight will be the last dress rehearsal before they uncork their season on Tuesday. We assume that means the starters will play a little longer, as they get back into full game shape, and Mike Brown will use this time to get last looks at the guys hovering on the edge of the roster. Prediction? Another L to run the table, of course!
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (0-4) at Toronto Raptors (2-1) Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - FEBRUARY 7: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball in front of Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets during the second half at Paycom Center on February 7, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight marks the third and final preseason game for the Houston Rockets. On the other side of the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their fifth game that doesn’t count.
Obviously, some of that is due to the Rockets taking a trip across the Pacific Ocean to play a pair of games with the Dallas Mavericks. Additionally, Houston knows its players and probably already has a decent idea of what the rotation will look like when the games start to count. Marcus Smart is new to the team but not to Ime Udoka. Bogdan Bogdanovic is the other new addition that figures to get minutes, and he’s a 34-year-old that knows the ropes. There isn’t a lot that needs to be worked out.
The Thunder of course still retain their core from last season, but had to make some trades to make their financial lives better down the road. The Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams (“J-Dub” for the kids at home) both had their big rookie extensions kick in this season and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets a $20.8 million bump in his salary next season. And they have to figure out a Cason Wallace extension by Monday or will risk him hitting restricted free agency next summer (and there will be suitors for him, I assure you). Due to those factors, they traded Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe in the offseason to get cheaper on the books.
OKC is also integrating rookies Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz into their lineups, and also get a full offseason with Jared McCain and Nikola Topic, though the latter has missed all of preseason with a back injury. The point is that OKC is going to be a different team this season, especially in the regular season. A few more games probably helps them a lot more than the Rockets.
We’ll see you back here Wednesday for the start of the regular season!
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Tuch scored twice and added an assist and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on Wednesday night.
Jordan Kyrou had a goal and assist, Justin Holl and Ivan Miroshnichenko also scored and Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots to help the Capitals snap a two-game losing streak.
Josh Anderson scored twice and Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki added goals for the Canadiens.
Montreal got off to a quick start when Anderson, alone at the net front, buried a feed from Alex Newhook 4:56 into play. Minutes later, Kryou responded, cutting to the middle before rifling a quick shot past Jakub Dobes.
Roughly halfway through the first, Montreal regained the lead, as Hutson, playing against younger brother Cole for the first time, beat Charlie Lindgren on a quick shot from the slot. With 25 seconds to go in the period, the Capitals tied it 2 on a power play. Ivan Miroshnichenko’s backdoor feed to Tuch went off Anderson’s stick and in.
Washington took a 3-2 lead 6:16 into the second period, when Tuch had a short-handed goal. Anderson tied it again from close range.
Justin Holl broke the tie with 7:31 minutes to go, beating Dobes on a point shot through traffic. Tuch added an insurance goal minutes later for his fifth of the season.
STARS 3, AVALANCHE 2, SO
DENVER )(AP) — Roope Hintz scored in the fourth round of the shootout and Dallas beat Colorado in a game where the Avalanche had two early goals disallowed.
Hintz sent a wrist shot past Scott Wedgewood. Casey DeSmith secured the win by stopping Brock Nelson.
Miro Heiskanen and Arttu Hyry scored for the Stars, who split a back-to back set of games with the Avalanche. They lost 3-2 at home the night before.
Hyry nearly won it in overtime but sent a bouncing puck off the post. Hyry’s short-handed tally off a steal against Cale Makar gave the Stars a 2-1 lead early in the third period before Nelson tied it with 11:39 left.
The Avalanche had quite a night of disallowed goals and close calls. Jaden Schwartz saw his score overturned in the first period after the Stars successfully challenged for offsides. Later in the period, Gabriel Landeskog’s goal was taken off the board when it was ruled the captain made a kicking motion to knock in the puck.
In the third, Gavin Brindley thought he scored and even began celebrating with teammates. But the officials never ruled it a goal and replays showed it glanced off both posts and didn’t go into the net.
They had another slow start, allowing a goal less than a minute into the first period before rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov allowed a backbreaking goal with 4:18 left in the third period. The Penguins had rallied from two goals down to tie the game in the third before losing 5-3.
There were a couple of positives to take from the game (like Sidney Crosby's performance), but there were also plenty of negatives, including Rickard Rakell's continued slow start.
Rakell has played in all seven games to start the year, but has only two points (all assists). To make matters worse, he hasn't come close to scoring and has been a net negative each time he's on the ice. He's not doing anything offensively or defensively, whether it's at 5v5 or on the power play.
Rakell has notoriously been a slow starter throughout his career, but he's never looked this bad to start a season since becoming a Penguin. Because of this, it makes the most sense to move him further down the lineup and promote someone else to the top line.
For example, Nick Robertson scored his fourth goal of the season on Tuesday and has done most of his damage in a fourth-line role. He should get another crack on the top line with Crosby and Rust, especially since Crosby and Robertson showed at least a little bit of chemistry at the start of the year.
You could move Rakell down to the third line to play with Ben Kindel, who's had a rotating cast of linemates at the start of the season. It'd be a fascinating fit, but it could jump-start Rakell since Kindel won't be afraid to let him rip the puck.
The fourth line could then feature Elmer Soderblom with Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte. The staff needs to give Soderblom more looks, especially after he played so well against the Stars on Saturday.
This would make the Penguins' lineup a bit more balanced, and it would still give Rakell a chance to rebound. He won't have to play almost 20 minutes a night like he's playing right now.
Now, if Rakell's play doesn't rebound after a demotion, then the Penguins have a bigger problem on their hands.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 14: Jake Bauers #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a two run home run in the seventh inning during Game Three of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In Game Two of the NLCS on Monday, Jake Bauers had what was one of the best at-bats in the history of the franchise. Against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the best postseason pitchers of his generation, he worked a 12-pitch walk, which was followed by a two-run single that chased Yamamoto and sent the Brewers on their way.
That at-bat had a short reign as the best at-bat of Bauers’ career.
With one out in the seventh inning, against a cruising ace, just after the Dodgers had gotten to Abner Uribe, seized a late lead, and snagged all of the game’s momentum, Bauers one-upped himself. He battled Blake Snell for 11 pitches, the last of which ended up deep into the right field seats at Dodger Stadium. The Brewers never looked back.
Bauers wasn’t the only hero. Jackson Chourio homered on the game’s first pitch. Garrett Mitchell followed Bauers with a homer of his own. Robert Gasser was huge, with five scoreless innings. DL Hall had one of the biggest moments of any Brewer reliever in a postseason full of big moments for Brewer relievers. The defense looked good. But Bauers grabbed the headlines and the memories, and the Brewers now just need one win in four tries to get somewhere they haven’t been in 44 years: the World Series.
Milwaukee got things going right away. On the very first pitch of the game, Chourio jumped on a fastball down the middle and hit it over the wall in right field. It was the last thing the Dodgers needed, and a huge early jolt for the visiting team, as Milwaukee took an early 1-0 lead. With his third career postseason leadoff homer, Chourio moved into a tie for second on the all-time list for leadoff home runs in the playoffs. Here’s where I remind you he is 22.
It’s a good thing they got to Snell when they did. After Chourio’s homer, Snell struck out the next three batters on just 11 pitches. In the second, he allowed a couple of baserunners—Mitchell walked and Cooper Pratt singled with one out—but he got out of that jam, and then completely locked in. After Pratt’s single, Snell retired the next 14in a row. He looked dominant in doing so.
In a twist that few would have seen coming, though, Gasser was ready to match Snell. He did it very differently—Gasser wasn’t working with strikeout stuff, and he got some help from his defense (as seen by Luis Lara’s play in the second inning, shown below)—but the Dodgers found themselves unable to square him up. He scattered a few hits and dealt with leadoff baserunners three times, but no runner advanced past second, and the Dodgers never felt like they got much of a threat going against the Brewer lefty. Gasser even stayed in to face the top of the order a third time; with a runner on first base and one out, Mookie Betts hit a hard line drive to center that was caught on a slide by Mitchell, and Freddie Freeman grounded out harmlessly to end the fifth, and Gasser’s evening.
It was a fantastic outing for the young Brewer lefty. Building off of his good showing in San Diego—when he allowed one run on three hits in four innings—Gasser went five scoreless, with three strikeouts, three hits allowed, one walk, and a hit batter.
After Snell threw a fourth straight perfect inning in the sixth, the Brewer bullpen took over, with Uribe on to face the middle of the Dodger lineup. Uribe, though, didn’t have it today. He walked Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker on just nine pitches, which injected major life into the Los Angeles crowd. Dave Roberts, sensing a moment, pulled Andy Pages to get Max Muncy an at-bat versus the right-handed Uribe, an aggressive but understandable move with Uribe needing to face another batter. Muncy got ahead of Uribe 2-1, but Uribe found it and came back to strike out Muncy.
With Hall warm in the bullpen, Pat Murphy made a surprising non-move: he let Uribe stay in to face Shohei Ohtani. Uribe still couldn’t find the zone; he walked Ohtani on five pitches, and the bases were loaded with one out for Will Smith. Smith, knowing that Uribe badly needed a first-pitch strike, sat on the fastball and got one right down the middle—he blasted it off the wall in left for a two-run double that gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
Murphy has made all the right moves all postseason thus far, and it’s difficult to second guess him… but not pulling Uribe for Hall against Ohtani was a mistake that you could see coming. Uribe has worked a lot, and he didn’t have it tonight. After the Dodgers announced Josue De Paula as a pinch-hitter, Murphy removed Uribe for Hall, and Roberts countered by replacing De Paula with Kiké Hernández. With runners on second and third and one out, Hall struck out Hernández and Tommy Edman to keep the Dodgers at two—a huge pair of outs from the Brewer lefty.
Now, though, the Brewers needed to get something cooking against a starting pitcher who’d been absolutely mowing them down ever since the second pitch of the game. Snell was only up to 81 pitches, and he still had not allowed a baserunner since Pratt’s one-out single in the second inning. But he’d been sitting a while. Finally, leading off the seventh inning, the Brewers ended Snell’s run of 14 straight when Andrew Vaughn worked a seven-pitch walk, which got the bullpen moving for Los Angeles.
Christian Yelich replaced Vaughn as a pinch runner while Bauers came up to the plate. With Bauers’ long at-bat against Yamamoto fresh on the mound, and with Snell approaching 90 pitches, the Brewers hoped Bauers might work another long at-bat.
So he got ahead 2-1. On 2-2, he fouled off a couple pitches. He worked to 3-2. He fouled off another pitch. And then another. Then he hit one hard down the right-field line, one that looked like it might be going out off the bat… but it went foul too.
The next one did not go foul. Bauers got a middle-middle fastball on the eleventh pitch of the at-bat and he detonated it. He hit it 109.4 mph deep into the seats in right field, a two-run homer that flipped the scoreboard back in the Brewers’ favor. Two days after his 12-pitch at-bat that sparked Milwaukee’s rally against Yamamoto, an 11-pitch at-bat ended even better against Snell. A remarkable moment.
The Brewers weren’t done with Snell. With Mitchell, a lefty, up, Roberts tried to get one more batter out of his starter. It was a bad idea. Mitchell got a 1-0 changeup that got way too much of the plate, and Mitchell blasted it even harder and further than Bauers had, a 111.5 mph, 428-foot, no-doubt shot that doubled Milwaukee’s lead.
Hall continued for the Brewers in the bottom of the seventh, now pitching with a 4-2 lead. He got some help from his defense: Joey Ortiz made a nice pick on a short hop to get Betts for the first out, and Chourio made a nice running catch for the second. Ortiz made another fine play on a weak ground ball, and Hall had taken his turn in the Brewer bullpen spotlight: five batters, five outs, two high-level-of-difficulty inherited runners stranded.
Roki Sasaki started the eighth for the Dodgers, but he was getting a lot of plate. Turang reached on a check-swing infield single with one out, and Contreras followed with a base hit up the middle, putting runners on the corners with one out for Yelich, who was getting his first at-bat of the game. Roberts moved to lefty Justin Wrobleski for Yelich, who faced a drawn-in infield. He just missed an extra-base hit on a chopper down the left-field line that was called foul on the first pitch he saw (upon further review… it really looked like it may have been fair), but it turned out the Brewers didn’t need Yelich to come through to get that insurance run: a ball in the dirt squirted away from Smith, both runners advanced, and the Brewers took a 5-2 lead. Wrobleski struck out Yelich and Bauers to end the inning, but Milwaukee now had a three-run lead that they only needed to protect for six more outs.
Hall, having a night, stayed on for the bottom of the eighth. Tucker put up a battle to lead off the inning, but he’s no Bauers, and he flew out to center on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. Hall then had a favorable matchup against Muncy, who’d entered for Pages in the sixth, and Muncy popped out. With two outs, Ohtani ripped a single at 114 mph up the middle—by far the best contact of the series for him—and Hall was removed in favor of closer Trevor Megill, who was brought in to face Smith. Smith flew out harmlessly to Lara in right, and the Dodgers were down to three outs.
Pratt picked up his third hit of the game in the top of the ninth, and with two outs he moved to second with a stolen base. Ortiz, who looked a bit better at the plate today but had some tough BABIP luck, snuck one through this time—a grounder got past Muncy into left field, and Pratt scored. Classic Brewers baseball. Chourio bounced out to end the inning but Megill, a pitcher unused to getting more than three outs, now had a four-run lead to work with.
It turned out Megill did not need the extra cushion. He calmly retired the Dodgers in order, and the Brewers had a 6-2 victory and a 3-0 series lead.
What a remarkable, resilient team. After looking helpless against Snell for the bulk of the game, and after the Dodgers finally broke through against the Brewer bullpen in the sixth, Bauers, Mitchell, and the Brewers struck back with a sledgehammer. The Bauers homer is immediately one of the greatest moments in the history of the franchise. Mitchell’s was another exclamation point. But let’s not forget Hall’s work; his two strikeouts in the previous inning, in retrospect, could not have been bigger.
The Brewers, improbably, have a chance to close the series tomorrow night. That game is at 7pm. Tyler Glasnow will start for the Dodgers, and we’ll see what the Brewers do with their pitching staff; it’s likely we’ll see Dustin May, and I’d bet you some money that Aaron Ashby will feature big time given that he didn’t end up getting used tonight.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 14: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball against Ronald Holland II #5 of the Detroit Pistons in the first quarter during a preseason game at Target Center on October 14, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Target Center shook off the rust for the Minnesota Timberwolves’ sole home preseason matchup. The first game where Minnesota donned the white rebrand jerseys and the first look fans got to check out the new court. The Detroit Pistons, fresh off their saga with Jalen Duren’s agent, came to town as two opposite-conference foes wound down the preseason and got ready to set sail on the regular season.
Minnesota’s offense was clicking early as they put up 38 points in the opening frame. On the backs of Jaden McDaniels and Jonathan Kuminga, the Timberwolves started off humming in front of their home crowd. Jaden McDaniels scored double digits and got to the free-throw line seven times in this quarter. Despite their best efforts on offense, Jalen Duren took it at Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer to convert in the painted area. The $200 million man made his money by using his strength inside. Despite this, the Wolves still held a nine-point lead after the first quarter.
The Pistons dug in in the second quarter. Their ball pressure and disruption started to bother the Timberwolves’ offense and force some turnovers. This disruption bothered the Wolves’ lead guards and forced them into bad decision-making. They dominated the frame and punched right back in the second quarter. They outscored the Timberwolves 36-20 and left them with a seven-point deficit at halftime.
The third quarter continued with Detroit digging in defensively as they were able to make Minnesota question their process on the offensive end. That did not deter a highlight play that got even the preseason crowd going with a LaMelo-Ball-to-Jonathan-Kuminga lob dunk connection. The athleticism was on full display throughout the game on the home team’s side. Despite this, the Pistons still squeezed the Timberwolves as their field goal percentage continued to go down. They strengthened their lead in the quarter and went up by 15.
While the Timberwolves’ regular rotation players played for longer in the matchup, in the 4th quarter the bench got some run. The main highlight was a couple of treys from Jaylen Clark as he took four of them with confidence. The efficiency from Detroit’s starters was too much to overcome, however, as the Pistons took the win 128-106.
Jonathan Kuminga Fitting In
This was easily Johnathan Kuminga’s best game of the preseason. He scored 16 points and added four rebounds and three assists to his final line. While it is easy to play alongside LaMelo Ball, this was encouraging to see it start to click how he can be impactful without assessing himself too much within the overall team scheme. He offered a highlight dunk and knocked down a couple threes, a big question mark heading into the season. The preseason is for knocking off rust and starting to become acclimated to new circumstances, and Kuminga did both of those things in this one. Kuminga’s processing tonight was a perfect example of how much he can impact the team positively and boost the starting lineup.
Feel like this is a good example of a value Jonathan Kuminga provides that this Wolves roster wouldn't have had, had they not been able to land Kuminga.
Kuminga being able to guard on the perimeter, but also being able to survive on a switch to a big — even Jalen Duren. pic.twitter.com/0D28wVehDI
The Detroit Pistons possessed a physical defensive identity that carried them to 60 wins and the top seed in the East last season. While their offensive shortcomings reared their head in the postseason, they still maintained that slugfest attitude that was so key to their success.
They brought that physicality tonight, as they bothered the Timberwolves at every turn. They made a point to pressure the ball and deny ball handlers especially when Rudy Gobert received a pass to run a two-man action.
When swapping out the sheer size and physicality that they had last season, that was a big question mark with the new-look roster. Detroit was a great test for this exact question, and the Timberwolves did show things to be concerned about. They greatly struggled with the physical defense that the Pistons deployed on them in this matchup.
New Court – 10/10
While the rebrand was a resounding success when it dropped, seeing the new court in action was beautiful. The new shades of both blue and green pop strongly and inspire feelings of nostalgia and excitement for the upcoming season. It looked very similar to the “Old Shep” court and jerseys they used during the 2023-24 season and way back when the franchise started.
Pair the colors with the different shades of wood, and it looked great under the Target Center lights.
All three jerseys are a great representation of the team brand, and with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball being an extremely popular and fun pairing, it would not be surprising if they both cracked the top ten in jersey sales this season.
Up next
The Wolves make a quick pitstop to face the Chicago Bulls in their final preseason tuneup on Friday 10/17 at 7pm CT.
Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the NLCS, when the Milwaukee Brewers took the lead for good on consecutive home runs. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Blake Snell stood on the mound with his hand on his hip, waiting for Jake Bauers to cross the plate before punching in his pitch call for the next batter.
The Dodgers left-hander had just given up the lead on Bauers’ two-run homer in the seventh inning, spoiling what had been a stellar start Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. But Snell was ready to move on.
Two pitches later, he watched another ball fly over the fence, this time off Garrett Mitchell’s bat. And with it went the last of the Dodgers’ momentum in what would become a 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
“It sucks,” Snell said of falling behind 3-0 in the series. “But it’s part of it. How do we bounce back? How do we fight? I think that’s the most important thing. It’s us coming together and finding a way to win.”
After setting their sights on a history-making three-peat, the Dodgers will have to win the next four games to advance to the World Series.
Only one team in MLB history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series — the 2004 Red Sox in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, on their way to breaking the Curse of the Bambino.
“At the beginning of this year, we set out to do something historic,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said. “It looks like we’re going to have to make a little more history along the way if we want to accomplish that.
“That’s the task ahead of us. We still have the pitching staff to be able to do it. We just have to get some hits.”
For five innings, the only run on the board was the one the Brewers scored on the first pitch of the game.
Snell zipped a 97.6-mph fastball over the center of the plate, and Brewers leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio sent it into the first row of the stands in right-center.
For much of Snell’s start, however, that aggressive approach worked. He dotted the upper rail with his fastball, threw his curveball for both swings and misses and called strikes, and mixed in his changeup to right-handed batters.
Unlike Snell’s last postseason start, when he issued five walks and lasted just 3-2/3 innings against the Atlanta Braves, his efficiency got him through six-plus innings Wednesday, with just two walks.
And while Snell’s fastball averaged 97 mph in his last start — something he’d done only twice before in his career, regular season or postseason, and not since 2022, according to Statcast — he threw even harder on Wednesday: 97.3 mph.
After Chourio’s home run, Snell retired 18 of the next 20 batters, including 14 in a row, to get through six innings. His nine strikeouts were one shy of a postseason career high, which he recorded against the Brewers last year in Game 1 of the NLCS.
The game was still far from decided going into the bottom of the sixth, even though the Dodgers’ offense had been quiet.
With the way the Brewers’ bullpen pitched in the first two games, it seemed the Dodgers would have to score against the Brewers’ starters to have a chance to pull themselves out of the hole they’d dug.
They failed to do so in Game 3, logging just three hits off left-hander Robert Gasser.
Luckily for the Dodgers, pitching every game of the postseason seemed to finally have caught up to hard-throwing right-hander Abner Uribe in his seventh appearance.
Uribe took over for Gasser in the sixth inning and walked the first two batters.
Milwaukee's Jake Bauers homers off Snell in the seventh inning of Game 3. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Then Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had left-handed-hitting Max Muncy pinch-hit for Andy Pages. Muncy struck out, and the biggest moment of the game fell to two Dodgers who have had the worst postseason production on the team.
Roberts had moved Shohei Ohtani down to sixth in the batting order and put Will Smith behind him. Naturally, the game found them.
In a short-lived comeback story, they came through.
Ohtani drew a five-pitch walk without taking a swing. With the bases loaded, it was up to Smith, who had gone one for 25 in the postseason to that point.
He ambushed a first-pitch sinker and drove it into the left-field gap for a two-run double and the lead.
“It’s really hard to put it into words, because you feel like you finally break through,” veteran utility player Miguel Rojas said. “Will the big hit, you feel really good for him, because we all know he’s been struggling at the plate, getting the opportunities and now being able to come through.”
The rally halted there. Roberts burned rookie Josue De Paula as a pinch-hitter, swapping him out for Kiké Hernández when the Brewers brought in left-hander DL Hall. Hernández and Tommy Edman struck out to end the inning.
“That was the game right there,” Hernández said. “We need to put the ball in play; I didn’t. I struck out and gave Tommy a way harder job with two outs. Just have to be better tomorrow.”
Snell jogged back to the mound with a lead for the first time. He issued a leadoff walk to Andrew Vaughn. And then Bauers locked him into an 11-pitch battle — the second time in as many games that Bauers worked a Dodgers starter for double-digit pitches — that ended with a fastball over the middle of the plate.
“What an at-bat,” Snell said. “I threw everything I had. Fastball down the middle — if I can locate that better, who knows what would happen. It’s the best I’ve ever seen him play.”
Snell hadn’t given up a home run all season — not in his nine regular-season starts or his division series start. Three on Wednesday defined his defeat.
“To have three in a game is pretty frustrating,” Snell said. “It’s something I’ve got to learn from. It’s part of their journey too. It’s only going to make me better.”
The next inning, the Brewers added an insurance run with back-to-back singles against right-hander Roki Sasaki and a wild pitch from left-hander Justin Wrobleski. They tacked on another in the ninth with a pair of singles and a stolen base off Wrobleski.
With the flash of red taillights flickering outside of the stadium, a sign of fans already heading for the exits, the Dodgers went down in order to end the game.
“This is uncharted territory for us, especially the last two years,” Rojas said. “It’s kind of a tough one to kind of wrap your head around, especially with the talent that we have in this group and the way that we know we’re capable of playing, especially on the offensive part of the ball.
“With that being said, I feel like there’s nothing for us to kind of do or say. It’s just more of, come here tomorrow, we have another opportunity to win a baseball game and believe in a potential streak of four games in a row.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 14: Kasparas Jakucionis #25 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls in the third quarter during the preseason NBA game at Fiserv Forum on October 14, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks… got gored… by the Chicago Bulls tonight, falling in their final home preseason game before the regular season tips off next week. Kam Jones led the Bucks in scoring with 23 points, while Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jakucionis finished with 19 and 18, respectively. Matas Buzelis starred for the Bulls with 19 points. Green, Rollins, Turner, Jaquez, Trent, Porter, Kuzma, and Herro did not suit up.
The Bucks marched out a starting lineup of Kasparas Jakucionis, Brayden Burries, Ousmane Dieng, Pete Nance, and Jericho Sims. Jakucionis picked up two quick fouls, leading to Cormac Ryan hitting the floor and scoring the first points for the Bucks after a 9-0 Bulls run (a corner three, set up by Burries). That was his first of three assists in the opening stanza, helping the Bucks go on a 10-0 run and get right back in the game. Burries also stole the ball from Caleb Wilson later in the first quarter, keeping his motor running high. The same wasn’t true for the rest of the team, however, as messy perimeter defence led to the Bulls stringing together a few runs themselves. Milwaukee was down 24-15 after one.
The Bulls brought back their starting lineup to open the second quarter, and for the first four minutes, the Bucks treaded water and kept the deficit within nine. Milwaukee’s offense struggled, though, and the Bulls eventually found their groove, easily out-shooting the Bucks throughout the period. Through two quarters, the Bucks logged 17 turnovers and never looked comfortable, with defensive assignments breaking down or being missed altogether. After losing the offensive rebound battle, the Bucks were left with many one-shot possessions to close out the period, and the score was 62-39 at halftime.
The third quarter saw the Bucks get off to a faster start: Jakucionis nailed a floating and-one jumper on the first possession, followed by a steal and a three from Burries on the next. After a cold streak for the next several minutes, the Bucks started to regain their groove, with Jakucionis showing some creative shot-making, Burries drawing fouls, and the Brewers on a seventh-inning tear (they mentioned it during the broadcast, so count it). Last but not least: Kam Jones finished the quarter leading the team with 17 points on 6/9 shooting (2/5 from deep). Still, the Bucks were down big, 102-78, after three.
Milwaukee continued its steady offensive attack (and non-existent defensive formations) until about halfway through the fourth when both teams went even deeper into their benches. For the Bucks, it felt like an audition for a two-way spot: Cormac Ryan, Johni Broome, Jake Stephens, and Kam Jones would close out the game, along with Bogoljub Markovic. Markovic largely underwhelmed, scoring just one point in his 21 minutes, while Kam Jones made the most of his time, finishing with a team-high 23 points. Jones showed a creative touch while shooting 9/14 from the field. In the end, the home team had a poor showing, even considering who didn’t play.
Stat That Stood Out
30: the number of turnovers committed by the Bucks.
Obscene Overreaction
Despite committing four fouls in four minutes, Kasparas Jakucionis looked very comfortable with the ball in his hands, as did Brayden Burries (once again). While it remains to be seen who the long-term starters are, it is becoming clear that these two players need minutes (even if it is at the expense of veterans). The future is now, and the Bucks need to let Jakucinois and Burries keep getting comfortable.
All around the ballpark, the usually jovial left-hander wore a stoic expression. He walked to and from outfield catch play every day with a look of determination on his face.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of Game 3. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
His Dodgers teammates noticed it. So did his manager.
“Much more quiet, much more kind of staying to himself,” Dave Roberts said of his star left-hander, coming off a disappointing NL Division Series start in which he failed to complete four innings. “I think he’s been really anxious to get another opportunity … When you guys see him take the mound today, you’re going to see another level of intensity.”
He walked leadoff batter Andrew Vaughn. He then got Jake Bauers in a two-strike count but repeatedly failed to put him away.
Five times, Bauers fouled off a two-strike offering. Just as he did to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2, he extended an at-bat into double-digit pitches.
“What an at-bat,” Snell conceded. “I threw everything I had.”
Finally, on pitch No. 11, Snell made a mistake, leaving a fastball down the middle.
Bauers was all over it, clobbering a no-doubt two-run homer halfway up the right-field pavilion.
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers runs out his two-run home run during the seventh inning. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
If that wasn’t bad enough, Garrett Mitchell doubled the pain two pitches later, going back-to-back on another long ball to right.
That ended Snell’s night, and marked only the fifth time in his career he had allowed three home runs in a game. Even more shockingly: He hadn’t given up a big fly in any of his 10 previous outings this season.
A stunning conclusion to what had been shaping up to be a dominant start –– and perhaps the death blow to the Dodgers’ World Series three-peat ambitions this year.
Hero: DL Hall
For as shocking as Snell’s seventh-inning sequence was, what happened at the end of the sixth for the Dodgers might have been just as costly.
After doing next to nothing against the Brewers’ bullpen in the first two games of this series, the Dodgers had finally broken through against Abner Uribe, loading the bases on three walks –– in a sign of potential fatigue from the hard-throwing right-hander, who has pitched every game of this postseason for Milwaukee –– before Smith came up and snapped his 1-for-25 playoff drought with a two-run double off the wall in left.
However, Shohei Ohtani seemed to get a bad read on that drive, failing to score from first in what would prove to be a consequential mistake.
Then, the Brewers turned to Hall, tasking the second-best lefty in their bullpen to get through the rest of the inning unscathed.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher DL Hall reacts during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Getty Images
On just 10 pitches, he did, recording back-to-back strikeouts of Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman to retire the side and keep the Brewers’ deficit at just one run.
A half-inning later, Hall’s escape would prove paramount.
He wasn’t done either, collecting five more outs in seventh and eighth to earn a pivotal winning decision.
Unsung hero: Shohei Ohtani
His base-running mistake aside, Ohtani validated the Dodgers’ decision to keep him in their lineup after speculation he could be benched following Game 2.
After being dropped to the No. 6 spot in the batting order, he went 1-for-2 with his sixth-inning walk and a hit-by-pitch in the fourth. He also laced a 113.5 mph single in the eighth, and even looked better on the one out he recorded back in his first at-bat, when he lined out sharply to left.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts to being walked during the sixth inning. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
It was a step in the right direction for the injury-hampered slugger, who entered Wednesday batting just 3-for-20 in the playoffs.
But if the Dodgers are to save their season –– now facing a 3-0 deficit that only one team in MLB history has ever overcome in a seven-game series –– they will almost certainly need more from the four-time MVP, who still doesn’t have an extra-base hit or RBI this October.
Stat of the game: Eight
That’s how many runners the Dodgers left stranded on base Wednesday, continuing a playoff-long trend of missed chances and wasted opportunities.
Even with Smith’s double, they finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, falling to 3-for-32 in such situations this postseason.
Quote of the night
Max Muncy didn’t mince words when asked why the Dodgers’ offense –– now sporting a .165 batting average in this series –– has not been able to have more success against the Brewers’ admittedly stout pitching staff.
“It’s a pretty simple answer,” he said. “We’re playing like shit. They’re playing great. It’s as simple as that. No need to overcomplicate it.”
Unless the Dodgers can reel off four straight wins now, that will be the story of how their dynasty ended.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 14: Max Christie #0 of the Dallas Mavericks plays defense on Saddiq Bey #41 of the New Orleans Pelicans on October 14, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (1-2) spent most of Wednesday night’s preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans (2-1) playing from behind. While the deep reserves eventually made the final few minutes interesting, Dallas could never completely erase an ugly offensive start in a 101-97 preseason loss to the Pelicans.
With Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving and several other rotation pieces sitting, Dallas opened with Naji Marshall handling much of the creation alongside Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher, P.J. Washington and Moussa Cisse. The offense looked disjointed almost immediately. Washington turned the ball over twice in the first two minutes, Risacher missed an early three, and the Mavericks struggled to generate anything consistently in the half-court. Mar Hall gave them some life with seven first-quarter points, including a pull-up three and a late floater, but New Orleans still built a 26-18 lead after one.
Dallas actually played some of its best basketball in the middle of the second quarter. John Poulakidas hit back-to-back 3-pointers, Seth Lundy knocked down another, and Sergio de Larrea created easy looks for the bigs. Cisse scored twice at the rim, including a cutting dunk off a de Larrea assist that brought Dallas within three at 47-44. Instead of carrying that momentum into halftime, the Mavericks completely lost it over the final two minutes. New Orleans closed with a 9-1 run, capped by Bennedict Mathurin scoring through contact with one second remaining, and Dallas suddenly fell behind 56-45 at the break.
The third quarter never really produced the run Dallas needed. Tobi Lawal repeatedly found openings as a cutter, and Risacher finally got on the board with a pair of layups. Still, the Mavericks kept throwing away possessions and missing open threes as New Orleans pushed the lead back into double digits behind Jeremiah Fears, Zion Williamson, and Yves Missi, taking a 75-63 lead into the fourth. Most of the rotation players were done by then, but the end-of-bench group gave Dallas one final push. Law l continued attacking the rim, Poulakidas made shots, and Lundy got aggressive late, cutting a 95-86 deficit with just over three minutes remaining to 98-95 after a Tarik Biberovic three, four straight Lundy free throws, and a Lundy steal and dunk. Poulakidas eventually hit a pull-up jumper with nine seconds left to make it 100-97, but the comeback ran out of time.
Risacher’s rough night
Risacher started again and finished with six points, four rebounds, two steals, and a block in 23 minutes, but shot 3-of-11 from the field and missed all seven of his 3-point attempts.
The misses aren’t the biggest issue. Dallas wants him taking those shots. The bigger question is what else he can consistently give them. He had a nice cutting layup and a block in the third, but he still looked uncomfortable on too many possessions when attacking or creating. Dallas does not need Risacher to look like a former No. 1 pick. He needs to become useful. This was not one of those nights.
Larry continues to look interesting
I did not expect to be this interested in de Larrea this quickly. He played 30 minutes and finished with 10 points, six assists, four rebounds, a steal, and two blocks while shooting 3-of-6 from the floor and 2-of-3 from deep. The most encouraging part is how comfortable he looks creating for others. He found Moussa Cisse for a dunk late in the second quarter and set up Lawal several times in the second half. There were also mistakes, including four turnovers, but that comes with giving a young guard this much freedom. Dallas desperately needs more ball-handling behind Irving, and de Larrea continues to look more NBA-ready than expected.
Tobi Lawal keeps making things happen
Lawal might have been Dallas’ best player against the Pels. He finished with 16 points on just six shots, went 8-of-8 from the free-throw line and added four rebounds and a steal in 23 minutes. He did most of his damage doing exactly what you want from him: cutting hard, running the floor, and attacking the rim. On a night when New Orleans couldn’t stop him, Lawal gave them easy offense through activity and athleticism.
Broad side of a barn
Dallas attempted 49 threes and made 10. That is 20.4 percent. Risacher went 0-of-7, P.J. Washington went 0-of-4, Caleb Martin went 0-of-4, and Tarik Biberovic went 1-of-9. I don’t actually hate the volume. Dusty May clearly wants this team taking threes. But this is also the downside. When the shots don’t fall, and Irving or Flagg isn’t around to stabilize things, the offense can get ugly fast. Wednesday was a pretty good example of that.
In order to accomplish that goal now, they have an even more daunting challenge impeding their path.
A year after they swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, the shoe is suddenly, stunningly, unbelievably in danger of being put on the other foot.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of Game 3. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
With a 6-2 loss in Game 3 on Wednesday, the Dodgers are on the verge of not only elimination, but a humiliating sweep.
And unless they can become only the second team in MLB history to overcome a 3-0 hole in a best-of-seven series, the way they got there Wednesday will reverberate long into the winter –– serving as the potential death-knell in their modern-day dynasty.
In the sixth inning, the Dodgers had finally captured momentum in this previously one-sided matchup, taking a 2-1 lead on a bases-loaded two-run double from Will Smith against hard-throwing Milwaukee reliever Abner Uribe.
It was the kind of moment the Dodgers had been waiting for all series: A big hit with runners on base. A hard-nosed rally against the Brewers’ dominant bullpen. A late-game lead that seemed to take their season off life support.
“You feel like you finally break through,” infielder Miguel Rojas said.
Minutes later, however, it would all disappear.
After six nearly flawless innings from Blake Snell, in which he had retired 18 of 20 batters after a leadoff home run on the first pitch of the game from Jackson Chourio, the two-time Cy Young Award winner returned to the mound in the seventh with Dodger Stadium still pulsing.
Then he issued a leadoff walk, and got locked in an epic battle with Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell walks off the field against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of Game 3 of the NLCS. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Just as he had done to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a 12-pitch duel during Game 2, Bauers refused to be put away, working an 11-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off five two-strike offerings.
Finally, having exhausted all other options, Snell challenged him with a fastball in the heart of the plate.
Bauers was ready for it, clobbering a 412-foot shot halfway up the right-field pavilion.
Chavez Ravine went silent. The Brewers had regained a 3-2 lead.
“I threw everything I had,” Snell said. “[Then a] fastball down the middle. If I can locate that better, who knows what would happen.”
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
What happened instead was a gut punch the Dodgers are unlikely to recover from.
Two pitches later, Garrett Mitchell also took Snell deep on a no-doubt drive to right.
“I mean, three home runs in a game –– I didn’t give up one the whole year,” said Snell, who had indeed not only avoided any long ball in his 10 previous outings this season, but had only allowed three homers in a single game four times previously in his entire career.
“Pretty frustrating,” he added.
This time, it was on a hanging changeup, sending another shockwave through a dazed crowd of 50,708. And this time, there would be no way back for the Dodgers’ offense, which went missing again after its sixth-inning outburst.
“This one sucks,” infielder Kiké Hernández said. “At the end of the day, we haven’t hit. It’s tough to win a series the way that we’ve been hitting.”
Added Rojas, in agreement: “It’s really hard to pitch when you have no run support. That’s on us. Offensively, we haven’t done what we’re supposed to do to keep building momentum and getting more runs in the times we have opportunities with runners on base.”
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith watch Smith’s two RBI double take flight during the sixth inning. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Indeed, in some ways, the Dodgers’ most costly sequence might have come at the end of the sixth, when they failed to tack on more after Smith’s two-run drive.
Shohei Ohtani, having drawn the third walk of the inning against Uribe, seemed to get a late read on Smith’s ball and only made it from first to third on the play. Then, after the Brewers turned to left-hander DL Hall, Hernández and Tommy Edman both struck out to end the inning, leaving Ohtani and Smith stranded in scoring position.
“That was the game right there,” Hernández said of his at-bat. “We need to put the ball in play. I didn’t. I struck out and gave Tommy a way harder job with two outs.”
Really, it epitomized the Dodgers’ struggles over this entire series, in which they’ve managed just 15 total hits against the Brewers’ pitching staff and gone a woeful 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
“It’s a pretty simple answer,” third baseman Max Muncy said of the Dodgers’ team-wide slump. “We’re playing like s–t. They’re playing great. It’s as simple as that. No need to overcomplicate it.”
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers celebrates his two-run home run with catcher William Contreras. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Over the final three frames, a two-out eighth-inning single from Ohtani –– who, base-running mistake aside, took a step forward by reaching base three times in the wake of speculation he could be benched following Game 2 –– would be the Dodgers’ only offense.
The Brewers, meanwhile, tacked on insurance runs in the eighth and ninth en route to putting the Dodgers’ season on the brink.
“We still have the pitching staff to be able to [come back in this series],” Muncy said, with Tyler Glasnow set to start Game 4 on Thursday, and co-aces Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto lined up behind him. “We just have to get some hits … We’ve just got to show up ready to play.”
At some point, of course, the Dodgers’ dynasty was bound to end.
After so many close calls the last two years, their October luck was eventually due to run out.
But not even in their worst nightmares could they have imagined a scenario like this, a loss like this, a potential sweep like this.
“It’s really hard to put it into words,” Rojas said.
And now, they either have to make history, or become history.
Even for the two-time defending champions, it feels like a too tall of a task.
