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The Los Angeles Dodgers are one win away from returning to the World Series after their 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
They are one win away from becoming the first defending champion to reach the World Series in 16 years.
The Dodgers started quickly as Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom of the first with a triple from Aaron Ashby. Mookie Betts hit a double in the next at-bat and the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead.
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki and catcher Will Smith celebrate their victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National Baseball League Championship Series, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)
The Brewers responded in the top of the second inning as third baseman Caleb Durbin tripled on Tyler Glasnow and scored on left fielder Jake Bauers’ single to tie the game at 1-1.
That score held until the sixth inning as Tyler Glasnow and Jacob Misiorowski, who relieved Ashby, pitched well.
The Dodgers broke through in the sixth inning, as second baseman Tommy Edman singled into center field to score catcher Will Smith, making the score 2-1.
“We’re just excited,” said Edman, the 2024 NLCS MVP. “We didn’t play very well during the regular season and we’re warming up at the right time.”
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman advanced to third on Edman’s hit and scored on an error from Brewers reliever Abner Uribe’s groundout attempt.
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after a triple against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. The game took place in Los Angeles, California on October 16, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
No defending champion has reached the World Series since the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009. No team has won back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three in a row between 1998 and 2000. The Dodgers are focused on taking things one game at a time.
“You have to treat it like it’s a do-or-die game,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. “You can’t look forward, and I think that’s something a lot of teams struggle with.”
“We’re up, but like Kobe (Bryant) said, ‘The work ain’t done,'” Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts said. “We have to keep going and keep pushing. We have to keep in mind that we are five wins away from what we really want.”
Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates in the dugout after scoring against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. The game took place in Los Angeles, California on October 16, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
The Brewers had the Dodgers’ number in the regular season, going 6-0 against the defending champions, but the tide has turned in this series as they are on the verge of being swept.
The Brewers have lost their last 10 postseason road games dating back to 2018 and have just three runs and nine hits in the series. The Dodgers starting pitchers have posted a sparkling 1.54 ERA in the postseason so far.
The Brewers will look to avoid getting swept when they face the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS at 8:38 p.m. ET on Friday.
