Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers

Wed Oct 145:00 PM PTFS1Los Angeles, CA
By JR·2 min read
Brewers(103-59)
Dodgers(100-62)
Wednesday 10/145:00 PM

TLDR: Milwaukee won both games at home and now gets 3 chances in Los Angeles to push the Dodgers to the edge. Game 3 is Wednesday, October 14, at Dodger Stadium, and LA has scored 5 runs in 2 games so far.

THU 10/15, 5:00 PMFS1
WWWLW
LLWWL
1st pitch 77°

Milwaukee leads the NLCS 2-0 after winning 2-1 and 7-4 at home, outhitting Los Angeles 12 to 3 in Game 2, and sends Robert Gasser to the mound for Game 3. The Dodgers haven't confirmed their starter, and Blake Snell is reported to be in line. Their bullpen is missing several arms and has already cost them a game, so how long their starter lasts decides how much of this game falls on the relievers.

Milwaukee Brewers
  • Gasser: 6 IP, 1 H, 9 K in last regular-season start
  • Bullpen allowed no hits after Henderson in Game 2
  • Outhit LA 12 to 3 in Game 2
  • Gasser went only 4 innings in his NLDS start
  • First road game of the series, at Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Home park after 2 games in Milwaukee
  • Won 2 straight road games to close out Atlanta
  • 5 runs in 2 NLCS games
  • Bullpen missing Treinen, Graterol, Casparius, Cousins, Klein
  • Reported starter Snell walked 5 in his NLDS start

Robert Gasser gets the ball for Milwaukee. The lefty went 5-5 with a 3.87 ERA in the regular season, and his last regular-season start against St. Louis was his best of the year: 6 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 9 strikeouts on 87 pitches. In his only playoff start so far, NLDS Game 4 against San Diego, he went 4 innings and allowed 1 run. Los Angeles hadn't officially named a starter as of Tuesday, though Sports Illustrated reports Blake Snell is expected to start.

Robert Gasser
Robert Gasser
(5-5)·3.87 ERA
Sep 25 vs Cardinals
ND
6.0IP
1ER
9K
1BB
87P
10/14 Lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers
TBD
—
TBD
ND
—IP
—ER
—K
—BB
—P
10/14 Lineup

If it is Snell, the Dodgers need much better command than he had against Atlanta. He walked 5 batters in 3.2 innings in that NLDS start and lasted that long only because he gave up just 3 hits. Whoever starts has to go deep, because the Dodgers bullpen is the weak spot of this series. Treinen, Graterol, Casparius, Cousins and Klein are all on the injured list, and Game 2 showed the cost. Yamamoto lasted 2.2 innings, Roberts had to piece together the rest, and the bullpen gave up the go-ahead run in the 6th.

Milwaukee's bullpen hasn't had that problem. After Logan Henderson went 4 innings in Game 2, the Brewers relievers didn't allow a hit for the rest of the night. Milwaukee also outhit Los Angeles 12 to 3. William Contreras tied that game with a solo homer in the 5th, and Roberts' choice of Kris Bubic against him is the move LA fans are still angry about. Game 1 was a 2-1 win where the Dodgers bats were quiet too. Over 2 games, the Brewers have simply hit better.

10/12WvsDodgers7-4
10/11WvsDodgers2-1
10/07W@Padres3-1
10/06L@Padres3-4
10/04WvsPadres4-3
10/12L@Brewers4-7
10/11L@Brewers1-2
10/07W@Braves4-1
10/06W@Braves3-1
10/04LvsBraves2-3

The Dodgers did get through Atlanta in the NLDS. They lost the opener at home 3-2, then won the next 2 on the road 3-1 and 4-1. That came from pitching, though, not the lineup, and the lineup has been worse against Milwaukee. The Brewers went 103-59, 3 games better than the Dodgers, and so far they've looked like the better team on the field too. Coming home helps LA, but only if the hitters show up.

Milwaukee has injuries of its own. Brandon Woodruff is still working back from a shoulder injury, and Quinn Priester, Angel Zerpa and Brian Fitzpatrick are out for the year. The Brewers have managed those losses all season. The Dodgers' missing relievers are hurting them right now, in the late innings of these playoff games. The forecast is 77 degrees and clear for the 5:00 PM PT first pitch, and for Los Angeles the start of the game matters most: their starter needs to get them a lead and give the bullpen fewer innings to cover.

NLCS Game 3: Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers — Brewers Bring a 2-0 NLCS Lead and Gasser to Dodger Stadium | Polymarket Odds · Barstool Bush