Dodgers are on the Brink

Los Angeles, CA (News4usonline) – The phrase turnabout is fair play shouldn’t be applied to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers and what’s going on in their National League Championship Series (NLCS). 

But it’s getting close. The Dodgers are one game away from being swept by Milwaukee in this year’s NLCS after the Brewers handed LA a 6-2 Game 3 defeat. Milwaukee lead the series 3-0. Ironically, the Dodgers blanked the Brewers in four straight games to win the NLCS and advance to the World Series in 2025.  

My, how things have changed in a year. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the difference this season is that the Brewers simply have more experience under their belt. 

“I think they have more experience,” Roberts said. “They’re really taking great at-bats. They’re taking better at-bats than they did last year. Their ball-in-play averages, gosh dang, it’s got to be .400. When they put the ball in play, it’s a hit. They’re also slugging, which they didn’t do last year. Those are good combos.

“Defensively they’re everywhere and making plays, and it’s hard for us to certainly create, build innings and score. Where I thought last year we did a better job of slugging and having those guys play from behind,” Roberts added. 

The Dodgers and starting pitcher Blake Snell needed this game. Snell, in particular, needed to right the ship from his National League Division Series appearance (NLDS), which was a disaster. 

Snell was all over the place when the Dodgers played Game 2 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. Snell managed to strike out five batters in that game. He also walked five hitters and allowed three hits in three and two-third innings in the 3-2 defeat. 

“I believe that when you guys see him take the mound today, you’re going to see another level of intensity, and for me it’s just make sure you manage that intensity and don’t get too amped up because it’s already a big game, which we all understand that,” Roberts said. 

Prior to Game 3 of the NLCS in his pregame press conference, Roberts thought that a different and more aggressive Snell would emerge. Plate location seemed to be a problem for Snell in Game 2 of the NLDS. The problem he had in Game 3 of the NLCS is that his location of the ball hung in the air too long. 

As a result, Snell, who struck out nine Brewers, surrendered three home runs in the pivotal game of the series. For the first six innings, Snell looked dominant and in complete control, despite giving up a solo home run in the top of the first inning. 

Thanks to a clutch, bases-loaded hit by catcher Will Smith in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers went into the top of the seventh with a 2-1 lead. This is when things crashed and burned for Snell and the Dodgers. 

A leadoff walk was followed by a two-run home run by Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers, enabling the Brewers to jump back in front, 3-2. A solo smash by Garrett Mitchell extended Milwaukee’s lead to 4-2, and pretty much knocked the wind out of the Dodgers’ sails. 

“Obviously the leadoff walk hurt,” Roberts said. “Hasn’t given up a homer all year, but it just — it’s baseball. For me, I felt good with where Blake’s stuff was at. You’ve got to give Bauers credit. He put together another good at-bat, which he did at their place and spurred that rally, and then right there saw eight, nine pitches and ended up hitting a homer.”

The unthinkable has become a reality for Roberts and the Dodgers. The two-time World Series champions may not have a chance at a possible three-peat unless they defeat the Brewers four straight times.  

Following this gut-wrenching defeat, Roberts was asked if he had Snell pitch one inning too 

 “I just saw that through the sixth inning, and then once we got to the seventh inning, I think he retired 13 or 14 in a row and his stuff was really good. I don’t think they were seeing him well. I was trying to get him three more hitters,” Roberts remarked.