What happened: Bauers fouled off pitches to extend his seventh-inning plate appearance to an 11th delivery before launching the go-ahead two-run blast. The swing broke through against Snell, who had settled into an efficient rhythm through four innings after surrendering a leadoff home run in the opening frame.

Why it matters: Flipping the scoreboard in the seventh inning of NLCS Game 3 shifts the postseason series leverage with only two frames remaining. Grinding out double-digit pitch counts in late-game situations forces starters from the mound and pushes high-leverage relievers into immediate duty.

What to watch: Six outs remain to secure NLCS Game 3 and take control of the series heading into Game 4.