Brewers Rally Past Dodgers 6-2 to Take Commanding 3-0 Lead in NLCS

Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell Deliver Back-to-Back Homers

The Milwaukee Brewers are one win away from the World Series after delivering a stunning seventh-inning rally to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell hit back-to-back home runs off Blake Snell in the seventh inning to reclaim the lead for Milwaukee, turning a one-run deficit into a 3-2 advantage and silencing the Los Angeles crowd. The Brewers added three more runs over the final two innings to secure the victory and take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Milwaukee now has an opportunity to complete a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions in Game 4 on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. The Brewers are also seeking to avenge last year’s NLCS defeat, when Los Angeles eliminated them in four games. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are on the brink of elimination and facing a postseason deficit they have rarely experienced in franchise history.

Bauers and Mitchell Break Through Against Snell

For much of Wednesday’s game, Snell appeared to have the Brewers under control. The two-time Cy Young Award winner retired 14 consecutive batters entering the seventh inning after Milwaukee took an early lead on Jackson Chourio’s leadoff home run.

However, the Brewers broke through when it mattered most. Andrew Vaughn opened the seventh with a seven-pitch walk, ending Snell’s impressive stretch of consecutive outs. Milwaukee then sent Christian Yelich in as a pinch runner, setting the stage for Bauers to deliver the biggest hit of the night.

Bauers battled through an 11-pitch at bat before launching a 412 foot home run to right field, giving Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. Brewers players poured out of the dugout to celebrate the momentum changing blast.

Mitchell followed immediately with another towering shot, sending a solo home run 428 feet to right center field. The back-to-back homers chased Snell from the game and gave Milwaukee a two run swing in an inning that changed the complexion of the series.

Snell allowed four runs on four hits over six innings, striking out nine and walking two. His outing began with Chourio’s home run on his first pitch and ended with Mitchell taking him deep on his final pitch.

Dodgers Briefly Take the Lead Before Milwaukee Responds

Los Angeles appeared to have seized control in the bottom of the sixth inning after struggling to generate offense for much of the game. The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead when Will Smith delivered a two-run double off Milwaukee reliever Abner Uribe. The rally developed after Uribe walked Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Shohei Ohtani to load the bases. Smith, who entered the game hitting just .043 in the NLCS, broke through with a double to left-center field for his first hit of the series, giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night.

But that advantage proved short-lived. Snell’s struggles in the seventh allowed Milwaukee to immediately reclaim control, and the Dodgers were unable to mount another meaningful comeback. DL Hall replaced Uribe and helped stabilize the Brewers’ bullpen, allowing one hit and striking out two before Trevor Megill took over in the eighth inning.

Brewers Add Insurance Runs to Seal the Victory

Milwaukee continued to apply pressure after its seventh-inning outburst, adding another run in the eighth to extend its lead to 5-2. Brice Turang started the rally with an infield single to third base before advancing on a William Contreras single. A wild pitch by Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski allowed Turang to score, giving the Brewers additional breathing room.

The Brewers added one more run in the ninth when Joey Ortiz delivered a two-strike RBI single, pushing the advantage to 6-2 and putting the game out of reach. Milwaukee’s ability to capitalize on key opportunities proved decisive against a Dodgers lineup that struggled to produce consistent offense outside Smith’s sixth-inning double.

Dodgers Face Elimination After Falling Into 3-0 Hole

The defeat leaves Los Angeles facing a nearly insurmountable challenge. The Dodgers have trailed 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series only once previously in franchise history, when they were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 World Series. Now, the defending champions must win four consecutive games to keep their season alive and advance to another World Series.

The situation represents a dramatic reversal from last year’s NLCS, when the Dodgers swept Milwaukee in four games. The Brewers had never defeated Los Angeles in their three previous postseason series, making their current position even more significant. Milwaukee has put itself in position to rewrite that history, combining timely power hitting, bullpen execution and late-inning insurance runs to take complete control of the matchup.

Game 4: Brewers Look to Finish the Sweep

The Brewers will have their first opportunity to close out the series Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. A victory would send Milwaukee to the World Series, while a Dodgers win would force the teams back to the field for Game 5. Los Angeles will need a much stronger offensive performance to extend its season, particularly after being unable to protect Snell’s brief lead in Game 3.

For Milwaukee, the formula has been straightforward: stay competitive early, capitalize on scoring opportunities and deliver in the biggest moments. Bauers and Mitchell did exactly that Wednesday night, putting the Brewers one win away from the National League pennant.

With the Dodgers facing elimination and Milwaukee carrying all the momentum, Game 4 could determine whether the Brewers complete a remarkable sweep or Los Angeles begins a desperate attempt to defend its championship.