The Los Angeles Dodgers are ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 in the NLCS. They have only given up nine hits in three games, which is the fewest in nearly 120 years of playoff history. But the players’ locker room feels more like a war room than a party. Mookie Betts, the team’s shortstop and three-time World Series champion, won’t let comfort into the locker room. From 2013 to 2019, the team lost seven straight playoff games before finally winning.

Betts sent a message that echoed through Dodger Stadium with the same intensity as always after the Dodgers took a commanding 3-0 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS on Thursday. “Honestly, I have zero emotions. We’re up, but like Kobe said, ‘Job’s not done,'” Betts told reporters. The reference goes back to Kobe Bryant’s famous moment in the 2009 Finals when he said the Lakers fans who were happy with a 2-0 lead, “What’s there to be happy about?” Job’s not finished.” That unyielding drive defined Bryant’s career and now drives Betts’ approach to leading the defending champions through another postseason run.

Betts has backed up what he said with great play on both offense and defense. He made an important defensive play in the ninth inning on Thursday by going to his backhand. This helped rookie closer Roki Sasaki get ready for his save chance. Dave Roberts, the manager, praised the sequence: “He’s made big plays. That play going to his backhand just to kind of let Roki settle in, he continues to make great plays. It’s rightfully so he’s in the Gold Glove conversation at shortstop.”

The Dodgers will play the Brewers in Game 4 on Friday night with a lot of momentum that is almost too much to handle. Los Angeles has given up only nine hits in three NLCS games, which is the fewest in the first three games of a playoff series in almost 120 years. Their pitchers have an ERA of less than 2.00 this postseason, and their hitters continue to get timely hits. Betts knows that things can change quickly in October, so he keeps the Dodgers focused on finishing their work instead of celebrating work that isn’t done.

Dodgers one win from World Series return

The Dodgers’ 3-1 win on Thursday brought them one step closer to completing their mission. They are now on the verge of making it to the Fall Classic again. The Los Angeles Dodgers tightened their grip on the series with surgical precision, showing the dominance that Betts preaches in every part of the game.

In the sixth inning, Tommy Edman hit a single that drove in Will Smith and gave the Dodgers the lead they would never give up. From there, the bullpen took over, with Alex Vesia getting the win and then giving the ball to rookie closer Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old star pitched a perfect ninth inning, getting his third save in four chances in the playoffs and ending the game by striking out Durbin in just four pitches.

The Dodgers’ pitching staff made it hard for Milwaukee’s offense to pose any real threat. The Brewers left six runners on base and only got one hit with runners in scoring position. This is a terrible stat that shows how bad they are at taking advantage of scoring chances. The offense’s failure to score is a sharp contrast to the Dodgers’ timely hitting throughout the series.

Dave Roberts knows this moment is important. The only team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series was the 2004 Boston Red Sox, and Roberts himself stole a base in the ninth inning to start that historic comeback. The Dodgers have a chance to close the door and go back to baseball’s biggest stage on Friday at 5:38 p.m. on TBS.