Teoscar Hernandez bats third as Dodgers fall into 3-0 hole
Key takeaways
- Teoscar Hernandez batted third for the Dodgers in NLCS Game 3.
- He went 0-for-3 but scored a run in the 6-2 loss to Milwaukee.
- The Brewers lead the series 3-0. The Dodgers must now win four straight.
Teoscar Hernandez batted third for the Dodgers on Wednesday night. The move was part of a big lineup shuffle. The Dodgers still lost 6-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers.
That is why fans searched his name.
Hernandez went 0-for-3 at the plate. He walked once and scored one run. The run came in the sixth inning.
It was part of a brief Dodgers rally. But the Brewers answered fast. They now lead the series 3-0.
The Dodgers are the reigning two-time World Series champions. They now face elimination in every game left. Hernandez must lift his bat if they want to fight back.
What happened
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled the lineup for Game 3. Shohei Ohtani dropped to sixth in the order. Will Smith dropped to seventh.
Hernandez moved up to third. Kyle Tucker batted fourth. The idea was simple.
Put hot right-hand bats higher against a left-hand starter.
The Brewers started lefty Robert Gasser. Hernandez and Andy Pages moved up for that reason. That is what Dodgers Nation reported.
Gasser pitched five scoreless innings. The plan did not work on the night.
Hernandez had a quiet night with the bat. He grounded out in the third inning. He walked in the sixth inning.
That walk started the Dodgers rally. Kyle Tucker walked right after him. Will Smith then doubled to left.
Both Tucker and Hernandez scored. The Dodgers led 2-1 at that point.
The lead did not last. The Brewers scored three runs in the seventh inning. Jake Bauers hit a two-run home run off Blake Snell.
Garrett Mitchell hit another home run right after. The back-to-back blasts put Milwaukee ahead 4-2. The Brewers added two more runs late.
The final score was 6-2.
Hernandez had a mixed series before Game 3. He had two hits in Game 1. He drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in Game 2.
Game 3 gave him no hits. But he still scored a run. His series line shows a man fighting for form.
Ohtani stayed quiet too. He went 1-for-2 with a walk in Game 3. He was also hit by a pitch.
The whole Dodgers lineup has gone cold at the wrong time.
The Dodgers scored only two runs in Game 3. They left eight men on base. They went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The numbers show a team that cannot land the big hit. Hernandez felt that too. He left two men on base.
Why it matters
Hernandez trended because the lineup move put him in the spotlight. Fans wanted to know why he batted third. They wanted to know if the shuffle would wake up the offense.
The answer on Wednesday was no.
The Dodgers need Hernandez now more than ever. He is a proven playoff hitter. He can change a game with one swing.
The team has scored few runs in three games. They need his bat to come alive in Game 4.
The series math is brutal. A comeback from 3-0 is very hard. The Dodgers must win four games in a row.
That is a huge task. But the Dodgers have star power. If Hernandez, Ohtani, and Mookie Betts heat up, the door stays open.
The Game 3 loss also changed the schedule. MLB moved NLCS Game 4 to 8 PM ET on Thursday. The game is at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers must win it to stay alive. A loss ends the season.
See the Game 3 preview. For how the series works, see How many games is the NLCS?.
What happens next
Game 4 is on Thursday at 8 PM ET. It is at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Dodgers must win.
A loss ends their title defense.
Hernandez should stay near the top of the order. Roberts may keep the same group. The manager said he trusts this core.
The players must now prove him right.
The Brewers can sweep with one more win. They have won all three games so far. Their bullpen looks strong.
Their young stars keep delivering. The Dodgers must score early to put doubt in their minds.
If the Dodgers win Game 4, the series goes to Game 5 on Friday. If they lose, the season ends. Every at-bat from here is do-or-die.
Hernandez will be at the heart of it.
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