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Game 3 is always pivotal in a best-of-seven series. It either gives one team a 2-1 edge and the probability of a series win or it puts a team up 3-0 and all but assures a team of winning that series. That is what made Wednesday’s Game 3 of the NL Championship Series so fascinating. All the narratives were at play. But the Milwaukee Brewers did what they had done 108 times previously this year. They won a ballgame.
Championship Series Chatter
Bauers’ HR Has Brewers On Brink, Dodgers In Trouble
Final score: Brewers 6, Dodgers 2
Series: Brewers lead 3-0
Next game: Brewers (TBA) at Dodgers (RHP Tyler Glasnow), 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
For the second year in a row, there could be a sweep in the NL Championship Series featuring the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers. Only this one could go the other way. Thanks to another lengthy at-bat by Jake Bauers that led to back-to-back homers with Garrett Mitchell, the Brewers have the Dodgers on the brink of elimination following a 6-2 victory in Game 3 of the NLCS. The Brewers are looking to qualify for just their second World Series since coming into existence in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, joining the 1982 Brew Crew. Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ dream of becoming the first NL team and third MLB franchise to win three straight World Series is on life support.
This game turned after the Dodgers took advantage of a wild right-hander Abner Uribe to score twice on a Will Smith double in the sixth. But as they have done all series, the Brewers bounced back immediately. Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell had been cruising after giving up a first-pitch homer to Jackson Chourio. He had allowed just one other hit entering the seventh while striking out nine, flashing his two-time Cy Young Award form. Andrew Vaughn led off the seventh with a seven-pitch walk. Bauers was next. Remember, he had a 12-pitch plate appearance against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 that resulted in a walk, but set up Christian Yelich’s go-ahead single in the third inning. This time, Bauers battled Snell for 11 pitches and did the dirty work himself, launching a center-cut four-seamer into the right-field stands at Dodger Stadium for a 3-2 advantage, silencing almost all of the 50,708 fans. Two pitches later, Mitchell tagged Snell again for a 4-2 lead. It was just the third time in MLB postseason history that left-handed batters hit back-to-back homers.
The Dodgers, with struggling superstar Shohei Ohtani in the lineup but batting sixth, had just five hits against the Brewers. Left-handed starter Robert Gasser turned in a really nice outing, going five shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk with three strikeouts. After Uribe ran into major trouble with three walks and the Smith double, left-hander DL Hall rescued Uribe by striking out Enrique Hernández and Tommy Edman. Hall would go 2⅓ innings, before turning it over to right-handed closer Trevor Megill, who nailed down the four-out save and putting the Brewers on the verge of history and putting a dent in a dynasty.
In Another League
Williams Looks To Put Guardians In Control
Series: Tied 1-1
Next game: Rays (RHP Griffin Jax) at Guardians (RHP Gavin Williams), today, 1:08 p.m. ET (TBS)
The Gavin Williams Elevation Tour could get a big boost in Game 3 of the AL Championship Series today. And by elevation, I don’t mean a pitch higher in the zone. No, Williams can take another step toward superstar status when the right-hander starts for the Cleveland Guardians against the Tampa Bay Rays. Williams has already done some things postseason legends do. The guy they call “Big Rig” struck out 12 over 5⅔ innings in the clinching Game 5 of the NL Division Series vs. the Chicago White Sox. That in itself isn’t legendary. But when you consider he did that two days after pitching the ninth inning and getting the save in Game 4 as the Guardians erased a 2-0 series deficit.
Williams, who led the AL in strikeouts (248) while posting a 3.76 ERA, will have his hands full with the Rays, who have mixed contact, speed and power to build the AL’s best record. Converted right-handed reliever Griffin Jax gets the start for the Rays. Acquired from the Minnesota Twins at last year’s trade deadline, Jax made 11 relief appearances to begin the season, then built up as a starter. He had a 3.14 ERA over 103⅓ innings covering 23 starts in his new role.
⚾ Due to bad weather expected to hit Cleveland tonight, the start time of Game 3 of the ALCS was moved up five hours to 1:08 p.m. ET. As a result, the Game 4 of the NLCS was moved up an hour to 8:08 p.m. ET.
By The Numbers
3 The leadoff homer by Brewers star Jackson Chourio, his third career leadoff blast in the playoffs, set off a number of stats:
Most #Postseason leadoff home runs:Kyle Schwarber: 5Jackson Chourio: 3Shohei Ohtani: 3Derek Jeter: 3Jimmy Rollins: 3
Most postseason home runs before turning 23:Jackson Chourio: 6Kyle Schwarber: 5Juan Soto: 5
— Sarah Langs (@slangsonsports.bsky.social) 2026-10-15T01:07:10.437Z
Jackson Chourio’s leadoff homer is the 6th first-pitch leadoff homer in the top of the 1st in a postseason game since pitch counts tracked (1988), joining:2025 WS G5 Davis Schneider2007 NLDS G3 Chris Young2001 NLCS G2 Marcus Giles2000 WS G4 Derek Jeter1995 NLDS G2 Marquis Grissom
— Sarah Langs (@slangsonsports.bsky.social) 2026-10-15T00:40:58.619Z
6 All six of the Brewers’ victories this postseason have been credited to a reliever.
32 Of the 42 best-of-seven series where a team won the first three games, 32 have resulted in sweeps. Only one team, the 2004 Boston Red Sox in the AL Championship Series vs. the New York Yankees, have come back to win the series.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Just Looking For A Good Seat
Brewers star Jackson Chourio had company out in left field for a bit.
Lara’s Wheels
Brewers right fielder Luis Lara had to activate the afterburners to catch up to this one.
A Big Day
At least dad got a key hit.
Will Smith and his wife Cara announced the birth of their third daughter, Carter, just hours before NLCS Game 3.Dad strength on full display 🥹
Premature?
Dodgers veteran Miguel Rojas, who may retire after this season, has a spot for a third trophy on his cleats.
Miguel Rojas has "2026 loading" on his cleats next to the back-to-back World Series trophies
— Talkin' Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-10-15T01:28:52.000Z
Finally Stinging One
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani did get a hit in Game 3, truly smashing a single.
Shohei Ohtani hit this single 113.5 MPHYandy Diaz's 114.6 MPH double in ALCS Game 1 is the only hit with a higher exit velocity this postseason
— Talkin' Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-10-15T02:48:51.000Z
Noteworthy News
Mattingly To Remain Phillies’ Manager
Don Mattingly is sticking with the Philadelphia Phillies. After taking over on an interim basis, Mattingly signed a two-year contract to be the Phillies’ manager. Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson on April 28 when the Phillies were 9-19. Mattingly guided the Phillies to a 79-55 record in his tenure, overcoming a late-season slump to secure the final NL playoff spot on the last day of the regular season. The Phillies lost to Atlanta in a decisive Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series. Mattingly’s son Preston is the Phillies’ general manager under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Mattingly makes it 3-for-3 for interim managers getting the full-time gig this season. The others were Andy Green of the New York Mets and Chad Tracy of the Boston Red Sox. Mattingly is already restructuring the coaching staff as respected hitting coach Kevin Long was fired with two more seasons on his contract. Infield coach Bobby Dickerson was also let go amid issues on the dirt this year.
Espada Not Returning To Astros
With his contract expiring at the end of the month, the Houston Astros have let manager Joe Espada know he will not be returning to the team after winning the AL West twice in his three seasons. The move continues a restructuring of the Astros this offseason after general manager Dana Brown was fired late in the season. The Astros won the division this year, but were the first team in MLB history to do so with a .500 record at 81-81. Some of Espada’s coaches are being retained, which also handcuffs whoever the Astros do hire. The Astros had given the Seattle Mariners, a division rival, permission to interview Espada for their managerial opening. Espada had a 256-229 record, but was 0-4 in two playoff trips.
Top 3 For Gold Glove Awards Revealed
MLB unveiled the top three vote-getters at each position for the NL and AL Gold Glove awards. While MLB calls them finalists, there is not another round of voting. The winner has already been determined and will be revealed Nov. 1.
The 2026 National League @RawlingsSports Gold Glove Finalists 🤩Winners will be announced on Sunday, November 1st on @ESPN
Extra Bases
⚾ The Minnesota Twins hired Brian Reith as their new pitching coach. Reith has spent the last five seasons as the pitching coach for the Rays’ Triple-A Durham affiliate. Rays was a coach in the Rays’ system at the same time as Twins manager Derek Shelton, but they never coached together. Pete Maki, the Twins’ pitching coach since July 2022, did not have his contract renewed.
Articles You Should Read
Rays, Brewers always outperform expectations. Here is how they do it. — Eno Sarris, The Athletic
Rays fans point to ticket prices as to why the Trop isn’t full — Sam Blum, The Athletic
How the Guardians can solve Griffin Jax in Game 3 — Ethan Sands, Cleveland.com
