The Dodgers were in a prime position to sucre a win at home in Game 3 of the NLCS, but Blake Snell couldn’t endure the wrath of Milwaukee’s lineup in a 6-2 loss on Wednesday.
Snell faced a similar fate as he did in Game 5 of the 2025 World Series, as he allowed a first-pitch home run to Jackson Chourio to start the scoring. From there until the seventh inning, Snell was exactly what the Dodgers had ordered, tossing six innings of scoreless ball while striking out nine hitters.
The Dodgers were able
to give Snell some semblance of run support, as a two-run double from Will Smith helped put them up a run against Milwaukee. It looked like the Dodgers had enough momentum to come back in the seres, until the top of the seventh inning occurred.
Snell allowed a leadoff walk to Andrew Vaughn to put the tying run on base, and it seemed as if Snell was able to work around the situation. Instead, Snell got into a deep at-bat against Jake Bauers. and the Brewers first baseman was able to catapult Milwaukee to a 3-2 lead. Two pitchers later, center fielder Garrett Mitchell blasted his first postseason home run to put the lead evidently out of reach.
Snell spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA, where he mentioned how he was able to bounce back after the leadoff home run to Chourio.
“It was just wild, the fact that t happened in back-to-back postseasons, It’s part of the game. It’s not gonna define me, but it’s frustrating. I was really locked in because I was focused. I knew what I needed to do, and that’s part of the game. To give up a home run to start the game was just frustrating, and I’ll learn from that.”
In a start where the Dodgers needed all the run production they could get behind Snell, the two-run double from Smith was the only help that the southpaw was able to get. Snell looked to be on the upswing before Bauers and Mitchell both got to him in the seventh inning.
When speaking with Watson, Snell spoke about his dominant performance over his first six innings on the mound, until the two Brewers lefty bats lit him up in the seventh. It was a moment that Snell reflected particularly on Bauers, whom Snell shared parts of his career with in Tampa.
“I got a strike pitch one, and then I left a fastball over the middle to Bauers. I’ve known him since he got drafted with San Diego and then was with the Rays. I’ve seen all the ups and downs he’s been through. For him to go through this, he’s earned it.”
The Dodgers starting pitching so far has failed to live up to expectations, as they’ve been responsible for allowing nine earned runs allowed over 14 2/3 innings. The Dodgers will send Tyler Glasnow on the hill for Game 4 on Thursday, looking to avoid being swept by Milwaukee. This is the firs time the Dodgers have been down 3-0 in a playoff series since the 1966 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.
