The Los Angeles Dodgers face elimination after falling 6-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Shohei Ohtani reached base three times batting sixth, while relief pitcher Roki Sasaki surrendered one run.
Blake Snell and the Brewers Early Home Run Strikes
The Dodgers returned to their home ballpark following two consecutive losses in the series. Manager Dave Roberts handed the ball to starting left-hander Blake Snell. On the very first pitch of the game, Milwaukee’s leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio launched a home run.
Snell settled down over the next five innings, keeping the Brewers off the board. However, the Dodgers’ offense struggled against Milwaukee starter Robert Gasser. Los Angeles remained scoreless through the first five frames, trailing 1-0 at the game’s midpoint.
Shohei Ohtani and the Sixth-Inning Offensive Surge
Entering the matchup with a postseason batting average of .150 and an OPS of .411, Ohtani batted sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers capitalized on control issues from Brewers relief right-hander Uribe. Ohtani and his teammates drew three walks to load the bases with one out. Catcher Will Smith then delivered a double off the left-center field fence, driving in two runs to give Los Angeles a 2-1 lead. This sequence broke a 10-inning scoreless drought for the Milwaukee bullpen.
The Seventh-Inning Counterpunch by Tyler Bauers
The Dodgers failed to capitalize further, striking out twice with runners on second and third. That missed opportunity proved costly in the top of the seventh inning. Snell returned to the mound, walked the leadoff batter, and faced outfielder Tyler Bauers.
Bauers battled Snell through a grueling 11-pitch plate appearance, ultimately driving a go-ahead, two-run home run into the right-field seats. The swing put Milwaukee ahead 4-2. The decisive at-bat echoed Bauers’ performance two days prior in Game 2, where he drew a 12-pitch walk against Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto over an exhausting seven-minute battle that forced Yamamoto from the game.
Immediately following Bauers’ blast, the Brewers added consecutive damage as Mitchell hit a solo home run. Snell was removed from the game.
| Player / Pitcher | Inning / Situation | Key Metric / Result |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson Chourio | Top 1st, Game Opening | First-pitch home run off Blake Snell |
| Tyler Bauers | Top 7th, Series Game 3 | 11-pitch plate appearance, go-ahead 2-run home run |
| Shohei Ohtani | Bottom 6th, Game 3 | 3 total times reaching base (1 hit, 2 walks) |
Roki Sasaki Surrenders Run in Eighth Inning
Relief pitcher Roki Sasaki took the mound in the eighth inning. After retiring Chourio on a grounder to third, Sasaki allowed consecutive hits, placing runners on first and third before exiting the game. A subsequent wild pitch by left-hander Justin Wrobleski allowed the Brewers to score, bringing their lead to 6-2.
The Brewers maintained their four-run advantage through the final frames, securing the victory and taking a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee stands one win away from advancing to the World Series.
References
- BASEBALL KING: Dodgers game coverage and play-by-play statistics.
- Digital Editorial Department: Postseason series reporting and pitch-count analysis.
Related reading
