The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series Thursday, moving one victory away from returning to the World Series and pursuing back-to-back titles.

The defending champions improved to 8-1 in postseason play this year. They have held the top-seeded Brewers to just three runs across 27 innings through three games.

Shohei Ohtani will take the mound for Game 4 Friday as the Dodgers seek to clinch their pennant and advance to face the American League champion. A victory would mark only the second time since 1909 that a defending champion won back-to-back World Series titles.

Tyler Glasnow struck out six of seven batters spanning the third and fourth innings while pitching into the sixth. The Dodgers' bullpen then delivered 10 consecutive outs through the end of the game.

Manager Dave Roberts pulled Glasnow after 99 pitches and sought exactly 10 outs from relievers Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda and Roki Sasaki. The four-reliever combination allowed just one baserunner.

"I think the thing about our guys is they're battle-tested, and they know that I've never lost faith in them," Roberts said. "They've never lost confidence in each other. So, to see what they're doing right now, I'm not surprised. We knew all along we were going to need these guys. And these guys are delivering, which is huge. We're doing a great job of preventing runs. And the bullpen deserves a lot of credit."

Mookie Betts fielded a grounder to his right before leaping and throwing to first in the ninth inning, executing a play made famous by Derek Jeter. Max Muncy's sliding catch and throw to home plate in the second ended a Brewers scoring threat.

"It was kind of a big moment," Muncy said.

Tommy Edman delivered the game-winning hit in the sixth inning against Brewers reliever Jacob Misiorowski. Will Smith added a sharp single earlier in the inning to spark the Dodgers' rally.

The Dodgers have now allowed one run or fewer in four consecutive playoff games, a feat matched only by the 1996 Atlanta Braves since that team, according to ESPN Research.

"We just have a lot of guys with experience, and we know what it takes to win the big games," infielder Tommy Edman said. "We have a lot of confident guys in the room, not in a bad way or in an arrogant way or anything like that, but guys are very confident in their ability. And it comes from having gotten it done in the past."

"We're up," Betts said. "But, you know, like Kobe Bryant said, 'The job's not done.' So, we've got to keep going and just keep applying pressure."

"When the postseason rolls around, we all kind of lean on each other a little harder," Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia said. "It is a breath of fresh air when October rolls around."

The 1999 Yankees represent the last defending champions to win eight of their first nine postseason games and lead a best-of-seven series 3-0. The Dodgers matched both milestones Thursday with their victory.