Box Score
For the third time in this NLDS, the Brewers and Padres fought a close game from start to finish, but this time Milwaukee could not come out on top, as the Padres came away with a 4-3 victory to take the series lead to 2-1 for the Crew.
Advertisement
Things started with a bang, as Jackson Chourio moved the ball up the middle in the pocket, but Jackson Merrill got a good jump and caught a clever sliding warning on the track, robbing him of the extra base. Jake Bauers and William Contreras followed with a hit and a fly, respectively, but not before Nick Pivetta’s pitch count reached 17.
In the home half of the inning, Contreras inexplicably challenged the first pitch from the hands of Dustin May, a call that was upheld on review when Milwaukee’s challenge was cut off in the middle right away. It should be a solid inning, albeit allowing a two out walk to Manny Machado, but nothing else.
Milwaukee got its first hit of the night as Christian Yelich lined a single to center, but was left there before Maias went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning with two strikeouts.
After another home run by Merrill’s Sal Frelick, Joey Ortiz had a one-out single in the third, but was left stranded, and the Padres got their first lead runner of the night in the bottom of the frame as San Diego’s Samad Taylor picked up San Diego’s first hit down the line. He then stole second base, advanced on a groundout by Jake Cronenworth, and scored on a groundout by Fernando Tatis Jr. for a 1-0 lead.
Advertisement
Already in the opening, Utina allowed a single to Merrill, who stole second and scored on a single by Machado to extend the lead to 2-0 before Ty Gallia flied out to end the inning.
Contreras quickly got one of those back in the fourth, driving a home run over the wall in left to make it 2-1 before Pivetta got the next three down in a row.
May came back to face Ethan Salas in the bottom of the fourth, who walked four times. He then threw another ball to Xander Bogaerts before drawing a Pat Murphy special, pulling him up the middle at bat. JoJo Romero came in and fell behind Bogaerts 3-0, but fought his way back to lead the second inning. He then struck out Dustin Harris and Taylor walked out to the plate, keeping it to one out.
Advertisement
Pivetta allowed a single to get Cooper Pratt and Frelick to ground out before Ortiz and put the runners in scoring position for the top of the order. Pivetta was singled out for Jason Adam, who got ahead of Chourio with a pair of sliders and sliders before hitting a fly ball to left-center. Amazingly, Harris put the ball in Merrill’s place (who has a stronger arm) and Pratt made a decision on the third tag, easily beating the shot to tie it at 2-2.
With two outs, Bauers drew a walk before Contreras hit a ground ball that, had Bogaerts passed short, would have scored another. But the bases were loaded for Brice Turang, who had to face Yuki Matsui to left, who got him to avoid the jam and keep it tied.
That bond did not last very long.
Advertisement
Romero singled in the bottom of the fifth, and in the first inning, Cronenworth promptly put a home run over the right-field wall, giving San Diego a 3-2 lead.
Romero and Anthony Senzatela combined for the next three in a row, sending this one to the sixth.
Yelich started things off with a four-pitch walk before Mitchell took a 2-0 lead, but he took three pitches in the strikeout zone. Pratt followed with a single before Frelick moved both runners to first base, and Matsui walked Bradgley Rodriguez, who got Ortiz on a full count before fliing out to right, ending the inning and allowing San Diego to escape once again.
Senzatela struck out Francia and Salas in the bottom of the inning before Bogaerts singled, forcing Murphy to bring in DL Hall in left. Miguel Andujar came in for Harris as a pinch hitter and worked a full count, allowing a wild pitch by Hall Bogaerts to move to second. Andujar then hit a broken baseman’s bat to short, and Pratt made a clean grounder but was clearly hit by a flying bat and Bogaerts leaping to avoid the ball, as his throw was low and hit the grass pad in front of Bauers, allowing Bogaerts to score and take the lead to 4-2. Jase Bowen replaced Andujar in the first and inning while he was caught stealing, but the damage was done and the Brewers had some ground to cover if they wanted to end the streak.
Advertisement
After Rodriguez struck out both Chourio and Bauers with ease, the Brewers mounted a double team, as Contreras, Turang (of the bloop variety), and Yelich got three personnel to run back. With the tying run on second and the lead on first, Mitchell was unable to come through, still striking out to keep the score at 4-3.
Hall worked around Cronenworth for the seventh year, as one for the bottom of the third line of Milwaukee’s deficit, which went up against the beginning of Sunday Michael King, he rested only one on the eighth day.
King didn’t look like he had the best stuff, but he allowed just two out of one out to pinch hitter David Hamilton, who was left there after Chourio grounded out to end the inning. Abner Uribe then made quick work of a 3-4-5 hitter, striking out three in seven innings to send this one to the ninth.
Advertisement
After Bauers was struck out, Contreras and Turang both drew walks to lead off one more run, but Yelich hit a 6-3 double play, ending this one just after midnight in Milwaukee.
It was a tough loss for the Brewers, they beat San Diego 11-6, and out-walked them 4-2, but left 11 runners on base in this one. Contreras led the offense with a home run, two singles and a walk, while Pratt was the only player with more hits, allowing two singles.
May was just about to open things up, and after Romero and Senzatela allowed runs in the fifth and sixth, the bullpen settled down to give the offense a chance.
Here we go back to Game 4 on Wednesday night. Neither team has announced a starter yet, but it seems likely that they will see Robert Gasser for Milwaukee and Walker Buehler for San Diego. The first word on that one is posted for 9:08 pm CT. Look then.