Chourio, Bauers and Mitchell homer as Brewers beat Dodgers 6-2 to lead NLCS 3-0 at Dodger Stadium

The Milwaukee Brewers moved to within one win of the World Series after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night (US time). Jackson Chourio homered on the first pitch of the game, and Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell went back-to-back in the seventh inning to put Milwaukee 3-0 up in the best-of-seven series and leave the two-time defending champions on the brink.

A first-pitch statement and a seventh-inning swing

Chourio set the tone immediately, sending Blake Snell's opening pitch out of the park for a 1-0 lead. That was the only damage Snell allowed for a long stretch: the two-time Cy Young winner settled in and retired 14 batters in a row at one point.

Milwaukee starter Robert Gasser matched him, holding Los Angeles scoreless across five innings. The Dodgers finally broke through in the sixth after the Brewers went to the bullpen. Abner Uribe walked three batters, one of them Shohei Ohtani, to load the bases, and Will Smith lined a two-run double off the top of the wall in left-centre to give the home side a 2-1 lead.

The lead did not survive the next half-inning. Bauers fought through an 11-pitch at-bat against Snell before driving a two-run homer, and Mitchell followed one batter later with a solo shot. MLB.com noted that Snell had not given up a home run in more than 46 innings this season, playoffs included, before Wednesday. Trevor Megill recorded the final four outs to close it out.

Dodgers' bats stay quiet

The defeat extended a worrying series for the Los Angeles lineup. The Dodgers have yet to hit a home run in the NLCS, and several of their stars are struggling for form. Ohtani, who batted sixth rather than in his usual leadoff spot, went 1-for-2 with a walk, but his postseason OPS sits at .515. Smith's double was a rare highlight in an October in which he is 2-for-27.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, keep finding answers late in games. MLB.com reported that the Brewers have five comeback wins this postseason, joint-most by any team through its first seven playoff games. Mitchell, who also produced a wall-scaling catch to close out the Padres in the previous round, summed up his mood simply: "I was just stoked I got to go up there and just swing."

History against Los Angeles

The scale of the task facing the Dodgers is stark. Of the 42 teams that have fallen 3-0 behind in a best-of-seven postseason series, only the 2004 Boston Red Sox have come back to win, and only one other team, the 2020 Houston Astros, has even forced a Game 7.

There is also a revenge element for Milwaukee. The Dodgers swept the Brewers in last year's NLCS, and a sweep in this series would make Milwaukee the first team to sweep the same opponent a year after being swept by them. The Brewers have not reached the World Series since 1982.

Game 4 and the ALCS in Malaysia time

Game 4 at Dodger Stadium has been moved forward by an hour to 8pm ET on Thursday, 15 October, which is 8am on Friday, 16 October in Malaysia. Tyler Glasnow is set to start for Los Angeles.

The schedule change was made to avoid a clash with the American League Championship Series, where Game 3 between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was moved up to 1pm ET on Thursday because of the weather forecast. That is 1am on Friday, 16 October in Malaysia. That series is level at 1-1.

Key takeaways

• Milwaukee beat Los Angeles 6-2 in Game 3 and lead the NLCS 3-0.
• Jackson Chourio led off with a first-pitch homer; Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell hit back-to-back shots in the seventh.
• The Dodgers have not homered in the series and Shohei Ohtani's postseason OPS is .515.
• Only one team in MLB history, the 2004 Red Sox, has won a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-0.
• Game 4 starts at 8am Malaysia time on Friday, 16 October, with Tyler Glasnow starting for the Dodgers.

FAQ

What is the NLCS score after Game 3? The Milwaukee Brewers lead the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.

When is NLCS Game 4 in Malaysia time? Game 4 at Dodger Stadium starts at 8pm ET on Thursday, 15 October, which is 8am on Friday, 16 October in Malaysia.

When did the Brewers last play in the World Series? Milwaukee's only World Series appearance came in 1982, so a win in this series would end a 44-year wait.

Sources: MLB.com, Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, Yahoo Sports, Dodger Blue