LOS ANGELES — For starters, the Los Angeles Dodgers are exactly where they want to be as they sit one victory away from a trip back to the World Series. Tyler Glasnow struck out eight batters, Tommy Edman hit a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning and the Dodgers took a commanding lead in the National League Championship Series with a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Mookie Betts had an RBI double in the first inning and Roki Sasaki delivered his third save of the postseason as the Dodgers never trailed on their way to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Los Angeles starters have combined to allow two runs on seven hits in 22 2/3 innings over the first three games. The defending World Series champion Dodgers will aim for a sweep in Game 4 at home on Friday. "I think just being able to go out, be myself, stay athletic and pitch well, it's been fairly great," said Glasnow, who credited a relief outing early in the postseason for getting him in sync. Up next on the mound for the Dodgers will be two-way star Shohei Ohtani. Glasnow gave up one run on three hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings. He has allowed one run total in three postseason appearances (13 1/3 innings). "I'm really proud of Tyler in the sense of the pitch count was up early, and knowing we still needed length from him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "For him to kind of keep his wits about him and to keep making pitches, keep competing and shorten the game, that's what we need from him." Jacob Misiorowski had nine strikeouts in five innings of relief for the Brewers. Jake Bauers hit an RBI single as the major leagues' top team in the regular season moved one loss away from the offseason. After having just one official at-bat with a runner in scoring position through the first two games of the series, Milwaukee went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position in Game 3. "I think it's always hard to lose games, but it's baseball," Misiorowski said. "We're gonna have ups and downs, and you know, you gotta figure out a way to get through it." The Dodgers did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard. Shohei Ohtani hit opener Aaron Ashby's fifth pitch for a triple into the right field corner, then scored one pitch later when Betts doubled to right-center. The Brewers got even in the second inning when Caleb Durbin tripled to left and Bauers followed with an RBI single. Misiorowski (2-1) dominated immediately after replacing Ashby in the first inning. He ended the frame with strikeouts of Edman and Teoscar Hernandez. Misiorowski allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk. Will Smith singled with one out in the sixth against Misiorowski and Freddie Freeman followed with a walk. Edman's single to center field scored Smith and moved Freeman to third. Freeman then scored when reliever Abner Uribe fired an errant pickoff throw to first base. Things only got worse for Milwaukee when leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio departed during an at-bat in the seventh inning with a right leg injury. After the game, Chourio labeled the injury as a cramp and expressed his intention of playing on Friday. "It's not finished," Chourio said. "I know that it's tough and things haven't maybe necessarily gone our way, but I feel confident that everyone's going to continue to go out there and give the best of their ability. Some of the hits haven't necessarily gone our way, but I feel confident that moment is going to come where some things start to." Los Angeles' bullpen did not allow a run as Alex Vesia (2-0) and Blake Treinen each went two-thirds of an inning, Anthony Banda pitched a scoreless eighth and Sasaki tossed a perfect ninth. "We knew all along we were going to need these guys," Roberts said of his relievers, "and these guys are delivering, which is huge. We're doing a great job of preventing runs, and the bullpen deserves a lot of credit." –Doug Padilla, Field Level Media
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