In a pivotal Game 3 of the NLCS on October 11, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced a critical moment when manager Dave Roberts opted to keep lefty Blake Snell in the game. After a strong six-inning performance, Snell had allowed only one run while striking out nine batters, but his continuation into the seventh inning proved costly, leading to a 6-2 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Snell entered the seventh having faced 21 batters, raising concerns as he approached the third time through the order. The inning began with a leadoff walk to Andrew Vaughn, followed by a dramatic at-bat from Jake Bauers, who ultimately hit a game-changing home run off Snell. The situation escalated when Garrett Mitchell followed suit, hitting back-to-back homers and marking the first time in Snell's career he allowed consecutive home runs to left-handed batters.

Roberts defended his decision, stating:

I just saw that through the sixth inning... his stuff was really good. The leadoff walk hurt. He hasn't given up a homer all year, but it just -- it's baseball.

Despite Snell's impressive strikeout rate and prior success, Roberts faced scrutiny for allowing him to pitch against lefties in a critical situation. Snell, who had battled shoulder and elbow issues throughout the season, had not allowed a home run until this game, raising questions about the decision to push him further.

Ultimately, the Dodgers' punchless offense struggled to recover, leaving them on the brink of elimination as they reflected on a crucial managerial decision in a high-stakes playoff scenario.