Dave Roberts Ignited MLB’s Only 3-0 Comeback 21 Years Ago

The Los Angeles Dodgers are teetering on the edge of another World Series trip after grabbing a crucial Game 3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series.

With a 3–1 victory, they now hold a commanding 3–0 lead in this best-of-seven matchup. That’s a spot that, let’s be honest, almost always means good things.

The Brewers have pitched well, but their bats have gone silent at the worst possible time. It’s left them staring right at elimination.

This series isn’t just about what’s happening on the field right now—it’s tangled up with baseball history too. There’s a hint of the 2004 Red Sox’s wild comeback, which keeps things interesting, but Milwaukee’s got a mountain to climb.

Dodgers Dominate with a 3–0 Series Lead

The reigning World Series champions showed their postseason strength by taking Game 3 convincingly. The Dodgers have mixed clutch at-bats, gutsy baserunning, and sharp defense to keep Milwaukee off balance.

Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy sounded a bit stunned by the series score. His team’s only allowed the Dodgers 10 runs in three games, which usually keeps you in the fight. But Milwaukee’s offense just hasn’t shown up when it matters.

Historical Odds Favor Los Angeles

Teams with a 3–0 lead in a best-of-seven MLB series have won 40 out of 41 times. Thirty-one of those ended in sweeps.

The only exception? That wild 2004 ALCS, when the Boston Red Sox came back against the Yankees after Dave Roberts’ famous stolen base in Game 4. Now, Roberts manages the Dodgers and sits right in the middle of this story—can the Brewers find even a sliver of that resilience?

Milwaukee’s Offensive Struggles

Even though their pitching has kept things close, Milwaukee’s lineup just isn’t delivering. They’re averaging a single run per game and slugging a meager .180.

They’ve played hard on defense and gotten plenty from their pitchers, but without runs, it’s almost impossible to flip the script—especially with every mistake under a microscope right now.

Finding a Defining Moment

For Milwaukee, it’s not just about surviving Game 4. They need to find that spark, that signature play that gets everyone believing again.

Baseball’s full of those moments—a clutch double, a nasty strikeout, a diving catch. The Brewers have to chase any chance to light that fire in the dugout.

The Roberts Connection

Dave Roberts brings a unique twist to this series. Back in 2004, his gutsy stolen base flipped the ALCS and helped the Red Sox finally break their curse.

Now he’s at the Dodgers’ helm, just a win away from shutting the door on Milwaukee’s hopes of a miracle. There’s a weird symmetry here, isn’t there?

Keys to a Brewers Comeback

If Milwaukee’s going to pull off the impossible, they’ve got to lock in on a few things:

• Boost offensive production by finding ways to extend innings and deliver extra-base hits.
• Capitalize on Dodgers’ mistakes—those little openings could swing an inning or two.
• Maintain pitching dominance to keep games close and let any offensive spark matter.
• Stay aggressive on the basepaths and keep the Dodgers guessing, just like Roberts did in 2004.

The Road Ahead

Let’s be honest: the Brewers are facing baseball’s steepest mountain. Their pitching staff has done a solid job keeping the Dodgers’ offense in check.

But if Milwaukee’s bats don’t wake up, this series probably ends in a sweep. History doesn’t offer much comfort, though sometimes, miracles sneak in—just not very often.

The Dodgers know what they need to do. They just have to finish the job in Game 4 and punch their ticket to the Fall Classic.

Milwaukee? They’re staring down a huge task. Win a game, then somehow win another, and just maybe keep the dream alive.

Momentum rules everything in postseason baseball. If the Brewers want any shot, they’ve got to find it fast.

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