Dave Roberts faces cruel MLB playoff twist as Dodgers fall into historic 3-0 hole against Brewers

The Los Angeles Dodgers entered October attempting to accomplish something extraordinary. After winning consecutive World Series championships, they were pursuing a third straight title and another place in baseball history. Now they need a different kind of historical achievement simply to keep their season alive.

Milwaukee defeated Los Angeles 6-2 Wednesday night in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, taking a commanding 3-0 lead and moving within one victory of the World Series. The situation is particularly remarkable for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Roberts was a member of the 2004 Boston Red Sox , the only team in MLB history to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win a best-of-seven postseason series.

Twenty-two years later, he must attempt to accomplish the same thing from the manager's seat.

A familiar situation with a very different perspective

The 2004 Red Sox were facing elimination against the New York Yankees when Roberts helped produce one of the most memorable moments in postseason history.

His stolen base in the ninth inning of Game 4 helped Boston tie the game and eventually begin its historic comeback. The Red Sox went on to win four consecutive games against New York before sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.

That comeback remains the only successful recovery from a 3-0 series deficit in MLB postseason history. Roberts now finds himself on the other side of that seemingly impossible equation.

According to MLB's historical records, teams holding a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series have won 41 of 42 completed series.

The only exception was Roberts' Red Sox. Those numbers demonstrate how difficult the Dodgers' challenge has become.

Blake Snell's seventh inning changed everything

For six innings Wednesday, Los Angeles appeared capable of beginning its comeback. Blake Snell had recovered from allowing Jackson Chourio's leadoff home run and was dominating Milwaukee's lineup.

The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning when Will Smith delivered a two-run double, giving the home crowd its first major reason for optimism.

Snell walked Andrew Vaughn to open the seventh inning before Jake Bauers worked an extraordinary 11-pitch at-bat. Bauers eventually connected for a two-run home run, putting Milwaukee back in front.

Garrett Mitchell followed with another homer, ending Snell's evening and giving the Brewers a lead they would never relinquish.

Los Angeles managed only five hits in the defeat. For a lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani , Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker and other established offensive stars, the inability to consistently produce runs has become the defining issue of the series.

Los Angeles will turn to Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Thursday night. The right-hander faces the responsibility of keeping the Dodgers' championship hopes alive against a Milwaukee team that has repeatedly responded whenever Los Angeles threatens to take control.

The Dodgers have overcome postseason adversity before, including elimination threats during their previous championship runs. But winning four consecutive games against a team that has controlled the first three meetings represents a substantially different challenge.

Roberts knows better than almost anyone that the impossible can occasionally happen in October. He also knows how rare those moments are.

The Dodgers have spent the last two seasons making history by winning championships. Now their manager needs to recreate a piece of baseball history that he helped write more than two decades ago.