A viral moment from Petco Park had nothing to do with the box score and everything to do with one fan’s camera phone.
On Tuesday night, the San Diego Padres edged the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in NLDS Game 3 before a packed crowd of 47,708 at Petco Park. The home side jumped out to an early two-run lead, and with postseason elimination hanging over the night, the building had plenty of energy.
But one female Padres fan ended up drawing attention for a very different reason.
A video making the rounds online shows her seated in the lower bowl near the Padres dugout, lifting her smartphone high and using its extreme digital zoom to zero in on the rear end of an unidentified baseball player. Rather than snapping a standard stadium shot, she appeared to be filming or photographing that very specific detail from a distance.
The clip quickly set off a debate online about double standards and what fans can get away with in public at a professional sporting event. Critic Drew Christensson wrote, “Imagine the outrage online if this was a man zooming in on a woman”.
Others weren’t focused on the gender debate so much as the logic of the whole thing. Commenter Su’a Cravens asked, “Like what does she even plan to do with this???”
Whatever her intent, she at least walked away with a win to go with the viral moment, as the Padres held on and she left Petco Park on a happy note.
In Other News...
Padres Suddenly Have A Bullpen Concern In The Middle Of The NLDS
The Padres found themselves navigating Game 3 of the National League Division Series without one of their most important relief arms, as Adrian Morejon was unavailable 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 being held out, leaving San Diego to piece together the late innings without one of the left-handers it has leaned on this October.
Mason Millers absence only added to the uncertainty in the bullpen picture, with the closer on the paternity list and unavailable for the game. For a Padres club trying to hold a tight postseason edge, the timing could hardly be worse, and the relief corps suddenly has more to sort through as the NLDS moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Sent A Worrying Bullpen Message Before Game 4
Michael Kings six-out rescue in Game 3 kept the Padres from staring at elimination, but it also highlighted how little margin San Diego has left as the NLDS shifts into Game 4. The Brewers strange road playoff skid, now up to 12 straight losses and tied for the longest in postseason history, only adds to the sense that this series is swinging on small edges, with every inning carrying the weight of the season.
For the Padres, the bigger worry is the bullpen picture behind King after he was pressed into extra work just to get them through the last game. San Diego still has a chance to keep this thing moving, but the way Game 3 unfolded made it clear the relief corps is being asked to cover plenty, and Game 4 will tell a lot about how much more it can absorb. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Kept Their Season Alive But Wednesday Just Got Bigger
The Padres did what they had to do Tuesday night, edging the Brewers 4-3 at Petco Park to keep their season going in the National League Division Series. Jackson Merrill helped set the tone with a pair of defensive plays, Jake Cronenworth supplied the power with a home run, and Michael King handled the final outs as San Diego made sure the series would not end quietly.
Now the pressure shifts right back to Petco Park, where Game 4 carries even more weight for a Padres club that has already shown it can survive a tight October night. Milwaukee got its own long ball from William Contreras, but the bigger story for San Diego is simple: one more win is needed to extend the postseason and force the kind of Game 5 everyone in the building can feel coming. [Read more 🡒]