Gold Glove finalist Mookie Betts' fielding (and hitting) has Dodgers in position for sweep

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws out Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio at first base.
Mookie Betts throws out Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio during the Dodgers' 3-1 win in Game 3. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The debate over whether Mookie Betts can play shortstop was settled long ago.

The debate now is whether Mookie Betts can play shortstop better than anyone in baseball. That discussion may soon be drawing to a close too.

Because a day after being named a finalist for a Gold Glove, Betts put a huge exclamation point on Thursday’s 3-1 playoff win over the Milwaukee Brewers with a spectacular play to start the ninth inning.

The victory leaves the Dodgers a win away from advancing to their second straight World Series, a journey they could complete Friday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. And a big reason they’re there is the steady defense of Betts, a six-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield who has made the difficult move to the middle of the infield seem easy.

Read more:Plaschke: Are these Dodgers the best postseason team in baseball history? They will be

“I think the only person on this planet that believed that Mookie Betts would be in this conversation was Mookie Betts,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said. “It's just something that has never been done. I can't even — it's incredible. Obviously I'm at a loss for words.”

Betts tried the position last year but Roberts said the confidence wasn’t there, so he moved Betts back to the outfield. There was no chance that would happen this fall.

Few understand the difficulty of what Betts has done more than those who have played the position. Yet Miguel Rojas, the man Betts replaced at shortstop — and a Gold Glove finalist himself this season as a utility player — said he’s not surprised because he has seen how hard Betts works.

“He doesn’t take days off,” Rojas said of Betts, who is frequently among the first players on the field for pregame drills and among the last to leave. “Even when we have an off day, he’ll still go out there and is asking ways to get better. I think it’s a product of being a relentless worker every single day. He’s never satisfied. He’s always trying to get better.

“For me to be there every single day to watch him perform and watch his work ethic, it’s been impressive.”

Part of that work, Betts said, involves watching video of every fielding play he makes. That includes the brilliant ones, like the ninth-inning play Thursday in which he ranged in the hole to backhand Andrew Vaughn’s grounder, then rose up and delivered a strong one-hop jump throw across his body to first baseman Freddie Freeman to get Vaughn easily.

“I go back and watch all my plays, even the routine ones, just to learn what I can do better,” he said.

Asked if he’s ever surprised by what he sees, Betts, who has yet to make an error in the playoffs, shrugged.

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts makes a leaping, cross-body throw to throw out Andrew Vaughn.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts makes a leaping, cross-body throw to retire Andrew Vaughn at first base during the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“I'm just doing my job. I'm just doing my job going out there and playing short, that's all.

“Once I get to the ball, I believe and trust in my athletic ability to make a play.”

Rojas, who has played six positions in the majors, said shortstop is such a hard place to play because of the mental focus it demands. An outfielder might be able to think about his hitting for a few pitches, but the shortstop, who quarterbacks the infield, doesn’t have that luxury.

“In the middle of the year he was in a slump offensively. But he never let the defense down. And that’s really impressive,” Rojas said. “He always said it to me, ‘Even though I’m sucking right now at hitting, I’m never going to be bad at defense. And I’m going to catch every single ball.’

“That’s the mentality that you have to have to be a really good shortstop.”

In the postseason, he’s become a really good offensive shortstop as well. After slumping to a career-low .258 average in the regular season, Betts is slashing .297/.381/.459 and shares the team lead with 11 hits and five extra-base hits in the postseason.

However, the numbers and the awards mean little to him, he said; Betts cares far more about winning. And as for proving himself at shortstop? Others, including his manager, may be surprised, but he isn’t.

“I know I could do it. I believed in myself. I always have belief in myself,” he said. “It was a goal to be the best I could be. If it came with a Gold Glove, cool. If it didn’t come with a Gold Glove, cool.

Read more:Dodgers capitalize on their chances to beat Brewers and take 3-0 NLCS lead

“I can go to bed at night knowing that I did everything I could. That’s all I care about.”

Just a season ago there were mornings when he’d get out of that bed wishing he could go back to right field. That doesn’t happen anymore.

“I would say the best athletes are the guys in the dirt,” he said. “It was fun while it lasted. I enjoy being in the dirt now.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Scheifele Ties Franchise Points Record as Jets Power Past Flyers 5–2

Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele scored twice and tied the franchise’s all-time points record as the Jets rolled to a 5–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre.

Scheifele, who recorded his 811th and 812th career points, matched Ilya Kovalchuk’s franchise mark and continued a strong early-season run for Winnipeg. His second goal, a power-play marker early in the third period, gave the Jets a commanding 4–1 lead and helped seal their third straight win.

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Vladislav Namestnikov opened the scoring less than five minutes into the first period, followed by second-period goals from Scheifele and Morgan Barron. The Flyers briefly clawed back into the game with a goal from Owen Tippett late in the second, but Barron responded just 1:27 later to restore Winnipeg’s two-goal cushion.

Philadelphia rookie Matvei Michkov added a late goal in the third, but Tanner Pearson iced the game with an empty-netter in the final minute.

Connor Hellebuyck made 15 saves for the Jets (3–1–0), who dominated the pace of play despite being outshot 17–15. Kyle Connor chipped in with two assists.

Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson stopped 10 shots in the loss as Philadelphia (2–2–0) dropped its second straight game.

The Jets return to action Saturday night when they host the Calgary Flames.

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Shane Pinto's Hot Start Continues In Senators 4-3 Shootout Win Over Seattle

Shane Pinto scored the shootout winner as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre. Pinto scored in regulation as well and currently leads all NHL players with 6 goals on the young season.

It was a fine bounce-back performance by Ottawa after getting pounded 8-4 in Buffalo the night before. Having said that, the Senators were less than two minutes away from their fourth straight loss. They trailed 3-2, and with Linus Ullmark on the bench for the extra attacker, Dylan Cozens scored to tie the game at 3 with 1:46 remaining.

Cozens unleashed what appeared to be a nothing shot from the boards out past the top of the right circle. But Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer may have been screened by his teammate, Jamie Oleksiak, who appeared to skate through Grubauer's field of vision at just the wrong time.

The 3-on-3 overtime settled nothing, but Tim Stützle and Shane Pinto both scored in the shootout to seal the win for Ottawa. Pinto’s goal, a shot just inside the right post, clinched it for the Sens. He's now the NHL’s leading goal scorer with 6 goals in 5 games.

For the fifth time in as many games the Senators allowed the first goal. But goals from Pinto and David Perron helped them rally to take a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. That advantage was erased by a pair of Chandler Stephenson goals – one in the second and another early in the third. And that, of course, set up Cozens’ late, game-tying heroics.

Of course, he wouldn't have had a chance to do so if Ullmark didn't make some monster saves in the third. Overall, Ullmark was excellent, stopping 30 of 33 shots, along with two more in the shootout.

 "I thought Linus was huge in the third period," head coach Travis Green told the media after the game. "Everyone raises their game, or you hope they can raise their game when the heat's on. And everyone does it in a different way. For a goalie, it's finding ways to stop the puck when maybe you don't. And the good goalies in the league make big saves when it matters. And he did tonight."

The Senators will play game two of their four-game homestand on Saturday afternoon at 3 against the New York Islanders.

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Senators Lose Sebrango, Claimed Off Waivers By Florida
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Brady Tkachuk Likely To Miss A Month Of Action (At Least)

Takeaways: Nashville Predators Suffer Tough Overtime Loss To Canadiens

Oct 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with his teammates during the second period at Bell Centre. David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Coming off a hard-fought 7-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena, the Nashville Predators hoped to get back on track in Montreal Thursday at the Bell Centre against the Canadiens.

For most of the game, it looked like that might happen. After Nick Perbix scored to put the Preds ahead 2-1 at 11:21 of the third period, Cole Caufield scored the tying goal with 19 seconds left in regulation. He then tallied the golden goal with three seconds left in overtime for a 3-2 Canadiens victory.

"I liked our game," Preds head coach Andrew Brunette told reporters. "We gave ourselves a really good chance to win. Every second counts. I think we thought it was over, kinda gave up on (the overtime) play a little bit, and it turned around. Big learning experience."

The loss was a tough one to swallow for the Predators, who drop to 2-1-2 for the season. They continue to fight hard, but need to find a way to close out games.

After a scoreless first period, Steven Stamkos scored his first goal of the season to put the Preds ahead 1-0 at 11:36 of the middle frame. Roman Josi and Luke Evangelista each picked up assists. Perbix had the other Nashville goal.

Oliver Kapanen tied the score 1-1, and Caufield netted the final two nails in the Preds' coffin.

Prior to the game, the Predators reassigned forward Joakim Kemell to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. Brady Martin was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game, with Nick Blankenburg also a healthy scratch.

The Preds were facing a Canadiens team that had won their last three, including a 5-4 overtime win over the Seattle Kraken in their home opener Tuesday. The Habs improved to 4-1-1 after Thursday's win.

Here are three takeaways from the loss.

Steven Stamkos Finally Gets One

The first season in Nashville was a difficult one for Steven Stamkos as he tried to make the transition from a long career in Tampa Bay with the Lightning.

Coming into Thursday’s contest, Stamkos had no goals and an assist for one point through four games. He finally lit the lamp at the 11:36 mark of the middle frame on a nice setup by Roman Josi.

Stamkos’s shot deflected off a Habs defenseman and got past goalie Jakub Dobes to give Nashville a 1-0 lead. Josi and Luke Evangelista were each awarded assists.

"Sometimes you need that killer instinct to put some teams away," Stamkos said. "Whether that's on the power play or 5-on-5, it's been a struggle. We've just gotta keep digging."

Stamkos's goal actually came on a power play after Montreal’s Zachary Bolduc went to the sin bin for hooking. The goal snapped an 0-for-13 skid on the power play over the last three games for the Preds.

Stamkos now has 583 goals for his career. The Preds’ offense would get a real boost if he can find a rhythm, especially in tight games like these where the offense has had trouble lighting the lamp consistently.

Perbix Is Finding Some Offense, But The Preds Defense Still Has Cracks

Oct 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Perbix (48) skates back to his bench after celebrating his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at Bell Centre. David Kirouac-Imagn Images

One of general manager Barry Trotz's main tasks this past off-season was to bring more size to the defense and more protection for Juuse Saros.

Trotz brought in Nicolas Hague and Nick Perbix. Hague suffered an injury during training camp and has yet to play this season. Perbix has stepped up offensively, especially in the last two games.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Perbix scored what appeared to be the game-winner Thursday, until Cole Caufield knotted things up 2-2 with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.

Perbix's goal was his second in as many games. It came right after Saros made one of his many key saves in the game, putting the Preds ahead 2-1 at 11:21 of the third.

Perbix's offense notwithstanding, the Preds defense still needs to tighten things up. Saros, who came into the game with a 2-01 record and a 1.64 goals-against average, was money all night against the Habs. He stopped 24 of 27 shots and made countless key saves that kept his team in a tight game.

The Preds allowed Montreal to attack the net on a sequence that Saros stopped until Oliver Kapanen finally connected at the 6:02 mark of the third period. No one had an answer for Cole Caufield on either of his two goals, one that tied the game with 19 seconds left and the golden goal in overtime to break the hearts of the Preds.

Saros has been the definition of great so far this season. Great goaltending will only take a team so far, however, if his defense allows constant traffic in front of the net in close, tight contests. They must find a way to close things out and not rely on their netminder to do all the work.

Tyson Jost Is Mr. 500

Oct 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson (53) defends against Nashville Predators center Tyson Jost (17) during the third period at Bell Centre. David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Just five games into wearing a Preds jersey, forward Tyson Jost reached a milestone once he set foot on the ice by playing in his 500th career NHL game.

In 10 seasons, Jost has accumulated 149 points (61-88-149). The Predators claimed Jost off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes Oct. 1. He scored four goals and five assists for nine points and 46 hits in 39 games for the Hurricanes last season.

In 14:31 of ice time, Jost had two shots on goal and no points. He would be a lot happier if his 500th game had resulted in a win regardless of his individual stats.

Bo Horvat's hat trick lifts Islanders to first victory of season with 4-2 win over Oilers

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat tied it short-handed in the second period, scored the go-ahead goal on the power play and finished off the hat trick with an empty-netter with 8.1 seconds left to help the New York Islanders pick up their first win of the season by rallying to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4-2 on Thursday night.

Seven seconds after Trent Frederic high-sticked Matthew Schaefer, Horvat beat Stuart Skinner with 4:46 left to bring fans — some of whom were booing the home team earlier — to their feet. Mat Barzal had the Islanders’ first goal and the primary assist on Horvat’s game-winner, while David Rittich stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced at the other end of the ice in his Islanders debut.

Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard gave the puck away on an inexplicable turnover in the neutral zone to set up Barzal’s goal and was the last player back on the power play who let Horvat past him for a breakaway on Skinner. Bouchard, who is the fourth-highest-paid player at his position in the NHL and tied for 14th among all players at a salary cap hit of $10.5 million, also coughed the puck up to cause several quality scoring chances against.

Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play, his third goal this season, off a feed from Connor McDavid, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had Edmonton’s other goal. Skinner was hardly to blame in allowing three goals on 24 shots as teammates hung him out to dry on multiple occasions with mistakes all over in a back-and-forth, fast-paced game, including Frederic’s ill-timed penalty.

The Islanders will take the two points however they can get them after opening with losses at Pittsburgh and at home to Washington and Winnipeg. Schaefer, playing against McDavid for the first time as No. 1 draft picks a decade apart, skated 17:38 in his fourth game in the league.

Up next

Oilers: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Islanders: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Nichushkin’s two-goal night powers Avalanche past Blue Jackets

The Colorado Avalanche concluded their two-game road trip with an undefeated record.

Their latest triumph came Thursday night at Nationwide Arena, where they dictated pace and possession in a 4–1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets — a performance that showcased both their offensive precision and defensive composure.

Scott Wedgewood once again was dominant with 22 saves on the night. Valeri Nichushkin led the offensive charge with a pair of goals, while Cale Makar marked his 400th NHL game with a goal and an assist. Brock Nelson notched his first tally of the season, and captain Gabe Landeskog recorded his first point of the campaign with an assist.

Ivan Provorov scored the lone goal for Columbus and netminder Elvis Merzlikins was solid in defeat with a 32-save performance.

First Period

Early on, Nelson displayed his hand-eye coordination by splitting two defenders and batting a loose puck out of midair before firing a shot just wide of the net.

Moments later, Victor Olofsson broke free down the left wing and tested Merzlikins with a sharp wrist shot that was neatly gloved.

Artturi Lehkonen nearly broke the deadlock for Colorado, powering through two defenders to get a clean look at Merzlikins, but his attempt ricocheted off the netminder’s right pad.

Brent Burns was called for hooking Mathieu Olivier, granting Columbus a power-play opportunity. But much like their 0-for-5 showing on Monday against New Jersey, the Jackets’ man advantage sputtered, managing only a single shot as Colorado’s penalty kill stood tall.

Late in the period, Devon Toews nearly capitalized with a wrist shot from the left circle that nicked the top of Merzlikins’ stick before sailing out of play.

Second Period

Provorov opened the scoring just 1:36 into the frame, snapping a wrister from the left circle that beat Wedgewood cleanly. The play came together after a brutal turnover at the other end of the ice gave Columbus an ample opportunity to make the Avalanche pay, and that’s exactly what they did. 

From there, Colorado flipped the script in emphatic fashion — a sequence that could only be described as a deflection masterclass.

First, in his 400th career game, Makar buried a pinpoint wrist shot off a Martin Nečas feed to even the score.

Barely a minute later, Nelson tipped home Burns’ cannon from the point to put the Avalanche ahead 2–1.

Then, with just over three seconds left in the period, Nichushkin redirected a Sam Malinski shot to cap a three-goal outburst and send Colorado into the intermission with all the momentum.

Third Period

Nečas was whistled for hooking Yegor Chinakhov, but Colorado’s penalty killers continued their perfection — even as Wedgewood absorbed a heavy shot from Adam Fantilli that briefly winded him.

Dmitri Voronkov’s hold on Makar earned Colorado their first power play of the night, but the Avs couldn’t extend the lead.

With eight minutes to play, Colorado maintained a 3–1 advantage and a 29–20 lead in shots. Nichushkin nearly made it a multi-goal night earlier, streaking down the right side and flipping a backhander that Merzlikins denied with the glove.

Columbus emptied the net with 3:31 remaining, but the gamble backfired. GLandeskog found Nichushkin racing down the right wing, and the winger tapped in his second of the game — sealing a 4–1 Avalanche victory.

Takeaways

This was a solid performance that saw a lot of players contribute towards the outcome. Most importantly, we know the offense is the primary strength of this team, but defensively, although there was a turnover that led to the only goal for the Blue Jackets, there were far less turnovers than the previous game against Buffalo. As long as we continue to get better at keeping the puck in our possession, we have a solid foundation.

Nečas is now on a five-game point streak. Sign the man. Nothing more needs to be said about that. 

Columbus had two “goals” nullified and in both cases they involved hand passes.

Next Game

The Avalanche (4-0-1) return to Ball Arena on Saturday to take on David Pastrňák and the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. local time. 

Lando Norris to face ‘repercussions’ for collision with Oscar Piastri in Singapore F1

  • McLaren driver accepts responsibility for clash with Australian teammate

  • Formula One title battle intensifies ahead of United States Grand Prix

Lando Norris will face “consequences” after McLaren held him responsible for the first-lap collision with Oscar Piastri in Singapore.

The title protagonists banged wheels at turn two as Norris barged ahead of Piastri into third, with the Australian complaining bitterly on the team radio.

Continue reading...

Panthers fall flat in New Jersey, lose third straight on road trip

The strong start to the season by the Florida Panthers suddenly seems like a long time ago.

Florida dropped their third straight game on Thursday night, losing 3-1 to the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center in Newark.

For the first time since they left South Florida, the Panthers were able to score the game’s first goal and simultaneously take their first lead of the road trip.

Coming out of Florida’s zone, Seth Jones made a nice lead pass to Brad Marchand, who made a nice move in the Devils end after crossing the blue line, cutting to the middle of the ice and firing a shot on Jake Allen.

The rebound tricked out to Allen’s right where Evan Rodrigues was there to slam the puck home and give Florida a 1-0 lead at the 1:59 mark of the first period.

It’s a lead that would stick for more than a period, until Rodrigues was called for tripping Jack Hughes five minutes into the second.

Hughes would score on the ensuing power play, ripping a shot over Daniil Tarasov after the goaltender dropped down as Hughes made his way to the bottom of the left faceoff circle.

With the goaltender suddenly down, Hughes found an opening under the crossbar and tied the game at one.

The tie score held until the 6:23 mark of the third period, when a deflection by Timo Meier squeaked past Tarasov, who was having an amazing game by the way, to give the Devils their first lead of the game.

Nico Hischier made it 3-1 Devils when he took advantage of a failed clear by Florida.

With both defenseman moving in the wrong direction after the broken play, the puck found its way to Hischier in the slot, and he beat Tarasov over the glove to double New Jersey’s lead.

Tarasov finished with 31 saves, including stops on all eight of the high danger shots sent his way by the Devils.

The Panthers have now scored a total of four goals over their three-game losing streak.

Florida’s road trip has two stops remaining, with games against the Sabes on Saturday and the Bruins on Tuesday.

On to Buffalo.

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Photo caption: Oct 16, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Ondrej Palat (18) hits Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) during the first period at Prudential Center. (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)

Metsa Called Up, Buffalo Scouting Chinakhov

The Buffalo Sabres have dealt with numerous injuries to their blueline, and currently have veterans Mattias Samuelsson and Michael Kesselring unavailable. In their 8-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, head coach Lindy Ruff leaned heavily on his top four blueliners, as Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram, Owen Power, and Connor Timmins played in excess of 23 minutes. 

Jacob Bryson and Ryan Johnson were both used sparingly, with Bryson playing just under 13 minutes and Johnson only 5:12. On Thursday, the club announced that they have sent down Johnson to the AHL and recalled defenseman Zach Metsa from the Rochester Americans. The 26-year-old played five seasons at Quinnipiac and won an NCAA Championship before signing a two-year AHL deal with Rochester. 

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Metsa played a significant role for current Sabres assistant coach Seth Appert as Amerks hea coach in their run to a Calder Cup Final Four appearance, and earned an NHL contract leading Rochester in defensive scoring with 46 points (7 goals, 39 assists) last season. Ruff said that both Samuelsson and Kesselring were getting better, but Samuelsson has not practice all week and Kesselring is stil on injured reserve, so the chances are likely that Metsa will make his NHL debut on Saturday afternoon against the Florida Panthers. 

Over the summer, one player that Buffalo potentially might be interested in pursuing was Columbus winger Yegor Chinakhov, a former first round pick of Sabres senior advisor Jarmo Kekalainen who requested a trade from the Blue Jackets. On Wednesday, Chinakhov played his first game of the season and 20 NHL clubs (including Buffalo) had scouts at the game

 

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Dodgers near repeat World Series trip, beat Brewers 3-1 behind Glasnow, Edman for 3-0 NLCS lead

National League Championship Series - Milwaukee Brewers v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Three

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 16: Enrique Hernández #8, Justin Dean #75, and Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers react in the outfield after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Edman hit a tiebreaking single off hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski in a two-run sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Thursday to take a 3-0 lead in their NL Championship Series.

Los Angeles moved within one win of becoming the first defending champion to reach the World Series since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies. No team has won consecutive titles since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees took three in a row.

Game 4 is Friday. Only one Major League Baseball team has overcame a 3-0 postseason deficit, the 2004 Boston Red Sox against the Yankees.

Shohei Ohtani tripled off Andy Ashby to start the bottom of the first and scored on Mookie Betts’ double to put the Dodgers ahead, but Jake Bauers tied the score with an RBI single in the second.

That was the only run allowed by Tyler Glasnow, who has combined with Ohtani, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to give Dodgers starters a 1.54 postseason ERA during an 8-1 postseason spurt.

Misiorowski replaced Ashby with two on and one out in the first, and struck out Edman and Teoscar Hernández. The 23-year-old right-hander topped 100 mph with 17 pitches and struck out a Brewers postseason rookie record nine, but his fastball velocity dropped to 98-99 mph slightly in the sixth.

Will Smith singled with one out on an slider in the middle of the strike zone and Freddie Freeman walked after falling behind 1-2 in the count. Edman, who had struck out twice against Misiorowski, lined a low slider into center, and Smith scored for a 2-1 lead as Sal Frelick made a week throw.

Abner Uribe relieved and struck out Hernández, then made a wild pickoff throw past first as Freeman scored, the second straight game with an error by the Brewers closer.

Glasnow allowed three hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings while striking out eight, leaving to a standing ovation from the crowd of 51,251.

Alex Vesia followed Glasnow and got two outs for his second win of the playoffs.

Roki Sasaki pitched a perfect ninth for his third save of the postseason, finishing a four-hitter. Dodgers relievers allowed one hit of 3 1/3 innings.

Milwaukee, which swept the Dodgers 6-0 during the regular season, has lost its last 10 postseason road games dating to 2018.

Up next

Ohtani, 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in the postseason, makes his second postseason start after the right-hander struck out nine over six innings against Philadelphia in the NL Division Series. The two-way star was 1 for 4 with two strikeouts and is hitting .158 (6 for 38) with one homer and six RBIs in nine postseason game. Milwaukee has not announced a starter.

Plaschke: Are these Dodgers the best postseason team in baseball history? They will be

Los Angeles, CA October 16, 2025 - Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen celebrates as Dodgers.
The Dodgers dugout erupts along with Dodger Stadium fans as Will Smith scores on a single by Tommy Edman in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the NCLS. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Milwaukee Brewers have no chance.

Neither will the Seattle Mariners or the Toronto Blue Jays.

The clear truth emerged from the Dodger Stadium shadows late Thursday amid a downtown-shaking roar of delight and disbelief.

This is ridiculous. This is simply ridiculous, how well the Dodgers are playing, how close the history books are beckoning, and how an ordinary summer has been followed with unbelievable days of the extraordinary.

The Dodgers are not going to lose another game this October. Write it down, bet it up, no major league baseball team has ever played this well in the postseason, ever, ever, ever.

With their 3-1 victory over the Brewers on Thursday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers take a three-games-to-none lead with a sweep likely in the next 24 hours and coronation coming in the next two weeks.

The Dodgers are going to win this NLCS and follow it with a four-game whitewash of the World Series because, well, you tell me.

How is anybody going to beat them?

Match their aces-flush rotation? Nope. Equal their hot closer and revived bullpen? Sorry. Better than their deep lineup? Nobody is even close.

The Dodgers are more than halfway to finishing the most dominant postseason in baseball history. It’s all there in the numbers.

The only team to go undefeated through the playoffs since the divisional era began was the 1976 Cincinnati Reds. But the Big Red Machine had to win only seven games. Since the playoffs were expanded and the test became tougher, the greatest October streaks have belonged to the 2005 Chicago White Sox and the 1999 New York Yankees, both of whom went 11-1.

Read more:Dodgers capitalize on their chances to beat Brewers and take 3-0 NLCS lead

These Dodgers were forced into that early wild-card series, so if they end this postseason without another loss, they will finish 13-1.

The last team in this town to have such a dominating postseason was the champion 2001 Lakers, who went 15-1 in the postseason with only one stumble against Philadelphia on the night Allen Iverson famously stepped over Tyronn Lue.

Fittingly, the mamba mentality of that group was referenced Thursday by Mookie Betts.

“Honestly, I have zero emotions,” he said. “We're up but, you know, like Kobe said, the job’s not done, so we’ve got to keep going and just keep applying pressure.”

Those Lakers were legendary. These Dodgers will be soon.

“That team is pretty good,” acknowledged Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

You think? They are currently 8-1 in the playoffs and have won 23 of their previous 29 games and again, who’s going to beat them?

Start with that rotation. Tyler Glasnow followed gems by Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Thursday by twirling 5 ⅔ innings of swing and miss, holding the Brewers to one run with eight strikeouts. In three games, the Brewers have scored two runs in 22 ⅔ innings against Dodgers starters.

And perhaps their best pitcher hasn’t even taken the mound yet, that being Friday’s starter, Shohei Ohtani.

Now for their deep lineup. Ohtani is still mired in a career-worst slump, but his one hit Thursday was a leadoff triple that led to him scoring the first run, and seemingly everybody else chipped in. Betts had the first RBI, Tommy Edman knocked in Will Smith with the go-ahead run in the sixth, a hustling Freddie Freeman scored on a wild pickoff attempt, and on and on ...

Finish with their bullpen, which is actually finishing. Taking over for Glasnow with a runner on first and two out in the sixth Thursday, Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda and Roki Sasaki shut the Brewers down the rest of the way, and their regular-season weakness has become their strength.

“I think the thing about our guys is, they're battle-tested, and they know that I've never lost faith in them,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Incidentally, Sasaki’s ninth-inning shutdown was aided by a brilliant in-the-hole putout by shortstop Betts, seven innings after Max Muncy threw out a runner at home, and that golden defense is just one more way the Dodgers can beat you.

All this, and as Thursday confirmed, they have arguably the best home-field advantage in baseball.

No place is bigger. No place draws more fans. And no place is louder, from the bleacher-rattling roar to the cover-your-ears sound system.

“This place has an aura about it,” Muncy said of Dodger Stadium. “It's the biggest capacity in baseball. Everybody talks about it when you come here. The lights seem a little brighter. The music seems a little louder — that might actually be because it is a little louder.”

Yeah, fans, you might hate the otherworldly stadium volume, but the players like it.

Read more:Dodgers defeat Brewers to move to the verge of returning to the World Series

“That's part of the perks of being at Dodger Stadium, we have that sound system,” Muncy said. “It sounds silly to say something like a sound system could be an advantage. But it really is. When the speakers in the center field are cranking and the crowd is going absolutely nuts and you feel the field shaking beneath your feet, it's a really big advantage. And that's something we've always had here.”

The stadium rose to the occasion Thursday as it always does this time of year, filling up despite the weird midafternoon starting time, constantly standing and screaming by the game’s end.

“When we've had those big moments, there's arguably no place that can get louder than Dodger Stadium, especially in the postseason,” Muncy said. “When you have 56, 57,000 people screaming all at the same time in a big moment, it's pretty wild. That's an advantage that we've always had here, and the guys love it.”

There’s a lot to love.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Roberts said.

Getting shorter by the roar.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Dodgers capitalize on their chances to beat Brewers and take 3-0 NLCS lead

Los Angeles, CA October 16, 2025 - Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts makes a leaping, cross-body throw from just beyond the diamond to force out Andrew Vaughn at first base in the ninth inning of the Dodgers' 3-1 win in Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

For five innings on Thursday afternoon, the Dodgers waited.

For impossible shadows to vacate the playing surface after a 3:08 p.m. start at Dodger Stadium.

For Milwaukee Brewers rookie star Jacob Misiorowski to lose steam after an electric start to his bulk-relief outing.

For a door to open that their veteran club, seeking a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series, could finally exploit.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, it arrived.

With a two-run rally fueled by professional hitting, aggressive baserunning and a little cat-and-mouse game with the pitch clock, the Dodgers broke an early tie and took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, moving to the doorstep of the World Series with a 3-1 defeat of the Brewers in Game 3 of the NLCS.

The decisive rally followed five innings of frustration.

Tyler Glasnow carved up Brewers hitters on one side, giving up just one run over 5 ⅔ innings. Misiorowski did the same to the Dodgers, following opener Aaron Ashby, who gave up a run two batters into his outing, with five innings of almost perfect relief.

In the sixth, however, the Dodgers flipped the script — finally getting more favorable circumstances, and immediately manufacturing a couple of runs.

First and foremost, Misiorowski’s velocity, which was previously 100 mph or more with his fastball and up to 96 mph with his slider, started dipping. The shadows that had tortured hitters all day, leaving home plate covered in shade while the outfield batter’s eye was drenched in sun, also suddenly subsided.

Read more:Plaschke: Are these Dodgers the best postseason team in baseball history? They will be

With one out, Will Smith took advantage by hitting a hanging 95-mph slider to left for a single. Then, Freddie Freeman drew a walk in a strategic battle with the 23-year-old pitcher, whose plan to hold the ball against Freeman as the pitch clock wound down was thrown back in his face by Freeman standing outside the batter’s box as long as possible.

With two runners aboard, and Misiorowski facing his first real stress since inheriting two runners back in the first, Tommy Edman hit a first-pitch slider (this one at just 94 mph) to center to break a 1-1 tie.

As the relay throw came into the Brewers' infield, Freeman made an aggressive — and ultimately rewarding — decision to go all the way to third from first.

The move paid off two batters later. While heavily used Brewers closer Abner Uribe (who was making his fourth outing in the last six days) set Teoscar Hernández down swinging for a key second out, he then made a back-breaking mistake: Firing an errant pickoff throw to first that got past Andrew Vaughn and trickled up the right-field line.

Tommy Edman hits an RBI single in the sixth inning during the Dodgers' 3-1 win over the Brewers.
Tommy Edman hits an RBI single in the sixth inning of the Dodgers' 3-1 win over the Brewers in Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Freeman trotted the 90 feet home with ease. The Dodgers had a 3-1 lead that their bullpen — which used Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda and Roki Sasaki for the final 10 outs — protected. And now, entering Game 4 on Friday night, the Dodgers are in position for a sweep.

Unlike Games 1 and 2 of this series, which the Dodgers dominated outside of a brief ninth-inning scare in the opener, Thursday’s contest was much of a jump ball.

The Dodgers scored first, thanks to a questionable tactical move from the Brewers — who used the left-handed Ashby as an opener, forcing him to face the top of the Dodgers’ order for the third time in this series.

The familiarity backfired. Shohei Ohtani hooked a leadoff triple into the right-field corner, snapping his season-long seven-game drought without an extra-base hit. Mookie Betts drove him in on the next pitch, belting a double into the right-center field gap.

Read more:Shaikin: It's not easy to repeat as World Series champs, but Dodgers don't seem to mind

Only once Misiorowski entered did the Brewers settle down.

Four months after dismantling the Dodgers in a six-inning, one-run, 12-strikeout gem, one that helped him earn a surprise (and controversial) All-Star selection just five starts into his MLB career, the long-limbed, flame-throwing right-hander was similarly stout for most of his bulk-relief outing Thursday.

He stranded the two runners he inherited in the first with back-to-back strikeouts. He worked around an infield single from Andy Pages in the second. Then, he didn’t let another runner reach base until the sixth, racking up nine strikeouts along the way.

Glasnow, however, found equal success.

In a three-hit, three-walk, eight-strikeout start, he gave up his only damage in the second inning, when Caleb Durbin tripled (with the help of an over-aggressive dive from Kiké Hernández in left field) and scored on Jake Bauers’ RBI single.

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers in the first inning Thursday against the Brewers.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers in the first inning Thursday against the Brewers. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

But later in the inning, Glasnow got some help from his defense, with third baseman Max Muncy making a diving stop and a spinning throw from a drawn-in position to get Bauers (who had advanced to third on a steal and errant pickoff throw from Glasnow) at the plate.

And from there, Glasnow was untouchable, retiring 14 of his next 15 batters before his day ended on a two-out walk in the sixth.

Glasnow’s start kept the Dodgers’ rotation ERA in this postseason at an immaculate 1.54. The group also now has 71 strikeouts in 58 ⅓ innings over its nine combined starts.

That strength has been enough to give the Dodgers control of this series.

But the usually pesky Brewers haven’t helped their cause, either.

The clearly fading Misiorowski wasn’t removed until the Dodgers had already gone in front in the sixth. Uribe’s pickoff throw later in the inning was also puzzling, given that he hadn’t allowed a steal since 2023 and had successfully picked off a runner only once in that time. And during their one opportunity to rally in the seventh, when Durbin hit a leadoff double, manager Pat Murphy left Jake Bauers in the game for a left-on-left matchup against Vesia — leading to a harmless fly ball and the first of nine consecutive Brewers outs that would end the game.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.