The San Diego Padres were not ready to see their season come to an end on Tuesday night, narrowly defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in a tightly contested Game 3 of the NL Division Series. Jake Cronenworth hit the go-ahead home run, and Michael King delivered an impressive finish by getting the last six outs.
With this win, Milwaukee’s lead in the best-of-five series was trimmed to 2-1, giving the Padres another opportunity to push the series to a decisive game. Xander Bogaerts then turned a game-ending double play at shortstop to lock up a dramatic victory.
Padres remain alive in the NL Division Series
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado provided early runs for San Diego, which never fell behind even though the Brewers posed a constant threat. Milwaukee stranded 11 runners on base and was unable to convert its chances into a lead.
The Padres went into the game without closer Mason Miller, who was added to the paternity list roughly 45 minutes before the first pitch. That forced King into an unexpected role after he had already pitched five innings in Game 2 only two days earlier.
Cronenworth’s home run turned out to be the difference as San Diego held on for a one-run win. As a result, the Padres will return to Petco Park on Wednesday with an opportunity to even the series.
Michael King records first postseason save
King came in for the final two innings and was put under serious pressure in the ninth. He retired four of his first five batters before William Contreras and Brice Turang drew one-out walks to put the tying run on base.
Christian Yelich then lined a ball up the middle, but Bogaerts reacted instantly, dropping to his knees to field it on a short hop. He got to second to force the out before throwing to first to complete the game-ending double play.
For King, it was his first save since 2023, his first postseason save and his first save as a member of the Padres. His two-inning outing came after his five-inning effort only two days earlier.
Brewers fall despite Contreras and Yelich
Contreras was one of Milwaukee’s top offensive threats, hitting a home run and recording three hits. Yelich also added an RBI single in the seventh inning, giving him his first playoff RBI since 2018.
Even with those contributions, the Brewers could not overcome their early deficit. They never led at any point in the game and left 11 runners stranded, which allowed San Diego to protect its slim advantage.
The loss also continued Milwaukee’s struggles on the road in the postseason. The Brewers have now dropped 12 straight postseason games away from home, a streak that goes back to the 2018 NL Championship Series.
Padres and Brewers head to Game 4
Game 4 is set for Wednesday night at Petco Park, where San Diego will try to tie the series at 2-2. Milwaukee is still one win away from advancing after winning the first two games.
If a fifth game is needed, the series will go back to Milwaukee on Friday. For now, the Padres have earned themselves another night after a dramatic victory that came down to King’s final outs and Bogaerts’ decisive defensive play.