Dodgers near repeat World Series trip, beat Brewers 3-1 behind Glasnow, Edman for 3-0 NLCS lead

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are poised to become the first defending champion to reach the World Series in 16 years.

Tommy Edman hit a tiebreaking single off hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski in a two-run sixth inning, and the Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Thursday to take a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven NL Championship Series.

A team that needed to win a Wild Card Series at the start of the playoffs is 8-1 in the postseason behind outstanding starting pitching, an improved bullpen and just enough offense.

“We're just excited,” said Edman, the 2024 NLCS MVP. “We didn't play great during the regular season and we're getting hot at the right time.”

No defending champion has reached the World Series since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies. No team has won consecutive titles since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees took three in a row.

“You got to treat it like it's a do-or-die game,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. “You can't look ahead, and I think that's something a lot of teams struggle with.”

Game 4 is Friday. The only one of the 41 teams that overcame a 3-0 postseason deficit was the 2004 Boston Red Sox against the Yankees, sparked by current Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

“We're up, but like Kobe (Bryant) said, ‘The job’s not done,'” Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts said. “We got to keep going and just keep applying pressure. We got to keep in mind we're five wins away from what we really want.”

Shohei Ohtani tripled off Andy Ashby to start the bottom of the first and scored on Betts’ double to put the Dodgers ahead, but Jake Bauers tied the score with an RBI single in the second.

That was the only run allowed by Tyler Glasnow, who has combined with Ohtani, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to give Dodgers starters a 1.54 postseason ERA.

Misiorowski replaced Ashby with two on and one out in the first, and struck out Edman and Teoscar Hernández. The 23-year-old right-hander topped 100 mph with 17 pitches and struck out a Brewers postseason rookie record nine, but his fastball velocity dropped to 98-99 mph slightly in the sixth.

Will Smith singled with one out on a slider in the middle of the strike zone and Freddie Freeman walked after falling behind 1-2 in the count. Edman, who had struck out twice against Misiorowski, lined a low slider into center on Misiorowski's 73rd and final pitch. Smith scored for a 2-1 lead as Sal Frelick made a weak throw.

“Misiorowski was nasty today. He's got unbelievable stuff,” Edman said. “Will did a good job of capitalizing on a mistake and hitting one in the gap. He gave me one I could hit and fortunately, we were able to scrape one across and let our pitching do the rest.”

Abner Uribe relieved and struck out Hernández, then made a wild pickoff throw past first as Freeman scored, the second straight game with an error by the Brewers closer.

“I was really surprised," Edman said. “I'm glad it happened. It gave us that insurance run.”

Glasnow allowed three hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings while striking out eight, leaving to a standing ovation from the crowd of 51,251.

Alex Vesia followed Glasnow and got two outs for his second win of the playoffs.

Rookie Roki Sasaki pitched a perfect ninth, finishing a four-hitter. Dodgers relievers allowed one hit in 3 1/3 innings. A rookie moved to the bullpen when he returned from a four-month injury layoff in the season's final week, Sasaki became the first pitcher since saves became an official statistic in 1969 to earn each of his first three career saves in the postseason.

Eleven of 19 batters struck out in the middle innings as shadows crept across home plate and made it difficult for hitters.

“Take nothing away from Glasnow, who pitched great,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Take nothing away from Miz, who pitched great, but it was a really tough visual for both teams. Nobody can think of a hard-hit ball hit during that time. That’s very unusual in a game.”

Smith agreed, saying, “That was not fun. Even catching, I know it's coming, it's still hard to catch. The at-bats are even harder. That's just kind of one of those games within the game and it's who can kind of handle it better.”

Milwaukee, which swept the Dodgers 6-0 during the regular season, has lost its last 10 postseason road games dating to 2018. After leading the major leagues with 97 wins during the regular season. the Brewers have three runs and nine hits in the series. Dating to the Division Series finale, the Dodgers became the first team to allow no runs or one run and four hits or fewer in four straight postseason games.

“It’s going to be tough no matter what we do, and you’re facing the Dodgers,” Misiorowski said. “I think we got this. Stay positive with the boys, and I think just put a few hits together and we’ll be fine.”

Ohtani, 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in the postseason, makes his second postseason start after the right-hander struck out nine over six innings against Philadelphia in the NL Division Series. The two-way star was 1 for 4 with two strikeouts and is hitting .158 (6 for 38) with one homer and six RBIs in nine postseason games. “I expect him to be good tomorrow,” Roberts said, “be focused and put forth a good effort at the bat, too.” Milwaukee has not announced a starter.

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