Blake Snell stood poised on the mound, waiting for Jake Bauers to cross home plate. Bauers’ two-run homer had just dashed Snell’s stellar performance on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. However, Snell refocused quickly. Moments later, Garrett Mitchell sent another ball into the stands.
The Dodgers succumbed to the Milwaukee Brewers, losing 6-2 in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee seized a 3-0 series lead, setting up a potential elimination game for the Dodgers on Thursday. The Dodgers’ dream of a historic three-peat now hinges on winning four consecutive games just to reach the World Series.
For five innings, the scoreboard showed only one run—Jackson Chourio’s solo shot off a Snell fastball in the opening pitch. Snell’s aggressive approach paid off for much of his outing, helping him retire 18 of the next 20 batters, including 14 consecutively. He struck out nine, narrowly missing his postseason career-high record set against the Brewers last year in Game 1 of the NLCS.
Snell showed efficiency, contrasting his previous rocky postseason start against the Atlanta Braves, where he gave up five walks in less than four innings. Despite averaging 97 mph with his fastball last postseason, he ramped up to 97.3 mph on Wednesday. However, the seventh inning flipped the game when he allowed a walk to Andrew Vaughn followed by consecutive home runs.
The Dodgers struggled against Brewers starting pitcher Robert Gasser, managing only three hits. Abner Uribe’s repeated postseason outings seemed to weigh on him, allowing the Dodgers a chance to capitalize in the sixth before their rally fell short.
With bases loaded, Will Smith hit a two-run double to offer a brief lead after Shohei Ohtani drew a walk. Nonetheless, Milwaukee regained control, with back-to-back homers against Snell and additional runs against Dodgers relievers Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski.
Milwaukee’s bullpen bolstered their efforts throughout, leaving Dodgers fans watching the tail lights as the stadium began to empty. Ultimately, Dodgers hitters faltered in the final inning. The Brewers’ commanding victory highlighted the uphill challenge for the Dodgers to extend their postseason run.