Jake Bauers was ready to retire. Now, his relentless at-bats have Brewers on brink of World Series

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jake Bauers' new lease on life allows him to worry less and give more.

Two seasons after he nearly quit baseball, Bauers has become a big hitter in the middle of the Milwaukee Brewers' lineup — and he put his renewed focus on display in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.

Bauers’ two-run homer on the 11th pitch of a seventh-inning at-bat against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell gave Milwaukee the lead for good in a 6-2 victory Wednesday, putting the Brewers on the cusp of their first World Series since 1982.

“Incredible at-bat,” manager Pat Murphy said.

Bauers fouled off five two-strike pitches before turning on a 97 mph fastball and launching it 412 feet to right field.

“Super sick,” teammate Garrett Mitchell said. “I think that more just goes to show the type of player he is. It’s a selfless at-bat. He’s just trying to put the ball in play. He’s trying to move the guy over, and put an incredible swing on that. For me, being able to watch that on deck was awesome.”

Mitchell followed with a home run of his own to chase Snell and make it 4-2. Milwaukee has a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NLCS, with Game 4 at Los Angeles on Thursday.

Bauers was drafted in 2013 by the San Diego Padres out of Marina High School in Huntington Beach, located about 40 miles south of Dodger Stadium. After batting .202 for the New York Yankees in 2023, he was traded that November to Milwaukee — where he hit .199 in 2024.

Ready to hang up his spikes, Bauer changed his mind when his wife told him she was pregnant. Wanting to be a provider for his growing family, he put off retirement and maintained their health insurance.

Earlier this week, Bauers spoke eloquently about his wife and her sacrifice while raising two rambunctious children while he is away playing baseball.

Now, he's making fans all over Milwaukee feel like little kids again.

“There’s a lot of people to credit, man,” Bauers said after Wednesday's game. “I’ve played a lot of places. I’ve picked up knowledge from a lot of different people.

“I think what changed for me this year was I stopped caring about results. I started caring about competing. I started caring about being in the moment and getting out of my own way.”

All that showed up in Game 2 of the series when he worked a two-out walk to load the bases on the 12th pitch he saw from Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the third inning. Christian Yelich followed with a two-run single for a 3-2 lead in a 7-4 victory, ending Yamamoto's outing.

Bauers, who turned 31 last week, is in his third year with Milwaukee — his fifth team in seven major league seasons. The first baseman and corner outfielder led the Brewers with 26 home runs and an .874 OPS during the regular season.

“Jake got an opportunity, that’s what he got,” Murphy said. “He got an opportunity to contribute, and he kind of found his offensive approach. And he kind of found, like, I’m really talented, but this is what serves me best. It’s a growth in the game. He’s continued to grow.”

Patient and disciplined with a sharp eye at the plate, Bauers drew 94 walks and compiled a .389 on-base percentage this season. He also had 86 RBIs in 144 games, shattering his previous career highs across the board.

“I came into this year feeling like there was really only one person holding me back, and that was myself,” Bauers said. “So I think I just gave myself the space to believe that I could play — I could play in this league.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers (9) rounds the bases after hitting a two RBI home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers connects for a two run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith looks on during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers connects for a two run home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers (9) connects for a two RBI home run off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers watches his two RBI home run leave the park during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

ISTANBUL (AP) — A heavy downpour has shut down Istanbul, flooded homes and roads and killed at least three people, officials said Thursday, as rescuers worked overnight to save hundreds of people stranded at their workplaces.

The downpour Wednesday night flooded homes and businesses and inundated roads and underpasses, stranding vehicles and causing traffic chaos in Turkey’s largest city.

The Istanbul governor's office on Thursday reported three deaths in the city and said four other people were reported missing. A 14-year-old was electrocuted after stepping in a puddle at a park in the Fatih district, and a 34-year-old slipped on a sidewalk in the Sariyer district and hit their head, local media reports said. The governor's office said the body of a third victim was discovered near another park in the Kagithane district.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said that more than 2,700 people who were stranded by the floods were safely evacuated throughout the city.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said that some areas had the highest amount of rain since 1985.

In Sakarya province, around 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Istanbul, a two-story house that was built on a riverbed collapsed in the floods, HaberTurk television reported. It wasn't immediately known if anyone was inside the structure.

The country’s weather agency has predicted more showers for Istanbul and the surrounding area in the coming days.

The governor’s office extended a schools’ closure order to include Friday, and some state employees were placed on leave Thursday.

Advice issued by the governor’s office late Wednesday asked residents to stay home unless travel was absolutely necessary. Motorcycles were barred from traffic.

A car lies toppled in the aftermath of floods caused by heavy rains in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Commuters arrive to the Kabatas ferry terminal during a rain in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Vehicles lie scattered in the aftermath of flooding caused by heavy rains in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Pedestrians walk along Istiklal main street under a heavy rain in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (Huseyin Ozdemir/DIA Photo via AP)

Vehicles are seen next to a partially flooded highway during heavy rains in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Egecan Ozguner)

Vehicles are stranded in a partially flooded highway during heavy rains in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Egecan Ozguner)

Vehicles drive along a partially flooded road during a heavy rain in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (Omer Hamza Yildiz/DIA Photo via AP)

Vehicles drive along a partially flooded road during a heavy rain in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (Omer Hamza Yildiz/DIA Photo via AP)