The Brewers put the Dodgers on the brink of elimination after winning Game 3 of the Championship Series
Back-to-back home runs by Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell in the seventh inning were crucial in helping Milwaukee take control of the game and leave the defending World Series champions on the brink of elimination in a best-of-seven series.
MLB file photo
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Wednesday and are now one win away from advancing to the World Series, after extending their lead to 3-0 in the Major League Baseball National League Championship Series (MLB).
Back-to-back home runs by Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell in the seventh inning were decisive in helping Milwaukee take control of the game and leave the defending World Series champions on the brink of elimination in the best-of-seven series.
The Dodgers, who are aiming to win three consecutive World Series titles, need to win all four remaining games to come back from this deficit. In MLB history, only the 2004 Boston Red Sox have managed to overcome a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series.
The result also raises the possibility that Los Angeles could be eliminated without winning a single game in this series, one year after defeating Milwaukee 4-0 at this same stage of the playoffs.
The Dodgers fought back, but Milwaukee sealed the deal
The Los Angeles team seemed to find an opportunity to mount a comeback in the sixth inning, when Will Smith hit a two-run double that gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
The rally came after a solid performance by starter Blake Snell, who kept his team in the game despite allowing a home run to Jackson Chourio on the very first pitch of the game. The two-time Cy Young Award winner subsequently held Milwaukee's offense in check and finished with nine strikeouts.
For his part, Brewers starter Robert Gasser held the Dodgers scoreless for five innings, capitalizing on the California team's offensive struggles.
However, Milwaukee struck back in the seventh inning. After Andrew Vaughn drew a walk, Bauers hit a home run that put the home team back in the lead, 3-2.
Shortly afterward, Mitchell punished Snell with a 428-foot home run that extended the lead to 4-2. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to keep the pitcher on the mound despite signs of fatigue after he surpassed 100 pitches.
The Brewers extended their lead to 5-2 in the eighth inning, thanks to a wild pitch by Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski. Although Shohei Ohtani singled with two outs to keep Los Angeles' hopes alive, Smith was retired on a flyout that ended the inning.
Milwaukee added another run in the ninth, and reliever Trevor Megill recorded the final three outs to secure the victory.
Milwaukee looks to close out the series
Roberts, who was part of the Boston Red Sox team that staged the 2004 comeback against the New York Yankees, believes his team can still turn the series around and must focus on winning the next game.
The Brewers, for their part, are looking to put last year's loss to the Dodgers in the same postseason round behind them. Their ability to rally from behind and their late-inning firepower have put them one step away from competing for the World Series title.
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