The Padres are still alive.
San Diego escaped with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night at a loud Petco Park, pushing its season at least one more day after staring down elimination. Game 4 is set for Wednesday, and the Padres now trail the series 2-1.
It happened without Mason Miller, who was placed on the paternity list as his wife is having the couple's first child. The hope is that Miller can return very soon, but the Padres had to get through Game 3 without their closer.
They did it the hard way, leaning on a bullpen that kept finding answers even after Nick Pivetta’s start ended after 4.1 innings. Jason Adam worked 0.1 innings, Yuki Matsui threw a scoreless inning and picked up the win, and Bradgley Rodriguez gave up his first run of the postseason while going 1.1 innings with three hits, a run and three strikeouts. Rodriguez came in during the top of the sixth with two on and two out and shut the door by getting Joey Ortiz to fly out.
Then came Michael King.
The Padres ace, who started Game 1, was asked to finish this one, and he delivered a two-inning save that looked exactly like a postseason survival act. King allowed one hit, walked two and needed 40 pitches to close it out. With Miller and Adrian Morejon unavailable, San Diego needed King to be the final answer, and he was.
Jake Cronenworth gave the offense the jolt it needed. Padres fans had plenty to be frustrated about going in, and for good reason: Cronenworth had gone three straight games without a hit, and he was hitless in three games last postseason as well. On Tuesday, he flipped the script with two hits, including the go-ahead home run.
Craig Stammen also made changes after the Game 2 criticism came his way. Jackson Merrill moved up to No. 2, Gavin Sheets was scratched and Samad Taylor took his place, and Ethan Salas hit fifth.
Even without the bat carrying the night, Merrill still mattered. His Gold Glove defense was part of the formula that helped San Diego hold on and force another game.
The Padres have one more shot to keep this run going. Wednesday night brings another chance against the Brewers.
In Other News...
Padres Suddenly Have A Bullpen Concern In The Middle Of The NLDS
The Padres headed into Game 3 of the National League Division Series already trying to manage the margins, and their bullpen picture got thinner when Adrian Morejon was ruled out because of a shoulder issue. Manager Craig Stammen said Morejon had not pitched since Game 1, though he did throw off the mound Tuesday before still not being cleared to play.
Mason Millers absence only added to the strain, with the closer on the paternity list and unavailable for the game. For a San Diego staff that has leaned on late-inning depth all year, losing two key arms in the middle of a postseason series leaves the Padres with more lineup juggling than they likely wanted this late in October. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Sent A Worrying Bullpen Message Before Game 4
The Padres found a late October lifeline in Game 3 when Michael King gave them six outs to help keep the series moving, but the bigger picture around their pitching staff still feels unsettled. Milwaukees long road playoff skid has been part of the backdrop in this NLDS, yet San Diego knows those kinds of trends can disappear fast once a game turns into a bullpen test.
What matters now is how the Padres line up their relief work going into Game 4, because the margin for error is shrinking with every inning. The matchup has already shown how quickly one team can be forced into a different kind of night, and San Diegos next move will say a lot about how confident it feels in the arms behind its starters. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Just Got A Game 3 Opening Padres Fans Hate
Gavin Sheets is not in the Padres starting lineup for Game 3 of the NLDS against the Brewers because of a stiff neck, though he is still available off the bench. The change pushes Samad Taylor into the batting order as San Diego tries to keep its season alive in Milwaukee, with every lineup decision carrying extra weight in a must-win game.
Nick Pivetta is set to start for San Diego, giving the Padres a second postseason look at the right-hander after he returned from injury. With the season on the line, the Padres are leaning on a pitcher who has only just rejoined the mix while also navigating a lineup tweak that could matter more if the game turns into a tight, late-inning grind. [Read more 🡒]