The Los Angeles Dodgers’ hopes of a third straight World Series title hung by a thread Wednesday night after a 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium.
Milwaukee now leads the best-of-seven series 3-0. The two-time defending champions must win four consecutive games to advance, a feat accomplished only once in MLB history by the 2004 Boston Red Sox.
Blake Snell took the ball for Los Angeles seeking to reverse the momentum after losses in the first two games in Milwaukee. Instead, the left-hander surrendered three home runs in a single outing.
Jackson Chourio opened the game by launching Snell’s first pitch, a 97 mph fastball, 391 feet into the right-field stands for a 1-0 Brewers lead. It marked the first home run Snell had allowed in any of his 10 starts during the 2026 season, including the regular season and National League Division Series.
Snell responded by dominating the rest of the early going. He retired 18 of the next 20 batters he faced and put together a stretch of 14 consecutive outs. The two-time Cy Young Award winner struck out nine and limited damage through six innings on 81 pitches.
The Dodgers finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Will Smith delivered a two-run double with the bases loaded to give Los Angeles a 2-1 lead and hand Snell a cushion heading into the seventh.
That lead evaporated almost immediately. Snell walked Andrew Vaughn to open the inning. Jake Bauers then worked an 11-pitch at-bat before driving a fastball 412 feet to right field for a go-ahead two-run homer. Two pitches later, Garrett Mitchell followed with a solo shot on an 86 mph changeup that traveled 428 feet, extending the advantage to 4-2 and ending Snell’s night.
Snell finished with six-plus innings, four hits, four earned runs, two walks and nine strikeouts. It was only the fifth time in his career he had allowed three home runs in one game.
The 33-year-old entered the postseason having gone the entire 2026 regular season without allowing a home run. In nine starts he posted a 4-1 record with a 1.90 ERA, 55 strikeouts and a 1.10 WHIP over 42 2/3 innings. He also allowed zero home runs in his lone NLDS start against Atlanta.
After the loss, Snell addressed the early damage and the sudden power surge.
“To give up a leadoff home run to start the game is frustrating,” Snell said. “But I’ll learn from it.”
He also noted the rarity of the home-run total.
“Three home runs in game…I didn’t even give up one the whole year,” Snell said. “So to have three in a game is pretty frustrating.”
Manager Dave Roberts had expressed confidence in Snell’s early form. Roberts told a Fox Sports reporter that Snell looked locked in.
“He’s got that look, he’s possessed,” Roberts said. “He’s going after these guys.”
Roberts added that the left-hander’s repertoire was working well.
“The fastball has life, his changeup and breaking ball is good. Right now, he’s in a good spot,” Roberts said.
The Brewers added two more runs later against the Los Angeles bullpen. Attendance was 50,708. Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to start Game 4 for the Dodgers on Thursday night as Los Angeles tries to stave off elimination.
