The San Diego Padres topped the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6–5, in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night, putting the boys in blue on the brink of elimination.
The game featured several big swings, three huge home runs, two lights-out bullpens and an atmosphere as charged as you'll see in the MLB playoffs. This emerging rivalry never fails to live up to the hype.
There were several takeaways worth examining ahead of Game 4.
Padres bullpen picks up Michael King
The Padres likely expected more from Game 3 starter King, but no matter, their bullpen was up to the task of covering for him.
King lasted five innings and allowed five runs on five hits and a walk, and only managed three strikeouts while nearly coughing up a 6–1 lead. It was a far cry from his first postseason start last week against the Atlanta Braves when he fired seven shutout innings and racked up 12 strikeouts. On Tuesday night, San Diego's relievers picked up the slack.
Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam, Tanner Scott and Robert Suárez combined to throw four innings of one-hit ball while striking out six and walking none. Suárez earned a four-out save after entering with two outs in the eighth and promptly retiring Teoscar Hernández on a popout. In the ninth, he struck out Max Muncy, got a groundout from Will Smith, then K'd Gavin Lux to end the game.
This is the kind of performance Padres general manager A.J. Preller had in mind when he paid a hefty price to acquire Adam and Scott at the trade deadline.
Dodgers responded well to deep deficit
San Diego jumped all over L.A. starter Walker Buehler in the second inning, plating six runs, racing to a 6–1 lead and sending Petco Park into a frenzy. Given their recent history of playoff flops, the Dodgers could have folded up the tent and saved their best effort for Game 4, but they didn't do that.
Right after San Diego's scoring outburst, L.A. opened the top of the third with consecutive singles from Miguel Rojas, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts to load the bases with no outs. After Freddie Freeman lined out to left field, Hernández blasted King's 1–2 sweeper over the center field wall. That made it 6–5 and completely changed the nature of the game.
The Dodgers didn't mount much offense after that, however. King settled in a bit and the Padres' bullpen stepped up to finish things off. But Los Angeles didn't quit when it could have. Expect the Dodgers to come out fighting in Game 4.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is still a superstar
In case you had written him off at some point over the last couple of years, Tatis is still one of the best baseball players on the planet. He connected on an 0–2 fastball from Buehler (who did not locate his heater high enough in this instance) and blasted it over the left field wall for a two-run homer to polish off San Diego’s six-run second inning.
NANDO! PANDEMONIUM!!! #NLDS pic.twitter.com/mEWBVBqMrc
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024
This is Tatis's first taste of real playoff action as he was suspended for San Diego's 2022 run to the NLCS and he played in front of mostly empty stadiums during the 2020 postseason. It's safe to say he's enjoying the big stage.
This postseason Tatis is 10-for-18 with four home runs, seven RBIs, two doubles and three walks. He's batting .556 with a .636 on-base percentage and a 1.333 slugging percentage for an absurd 1.970 OPS. That's the highest ever in a single postseason (minimum 20 plate appearances).
It gets better. In 11 career postseason games, Tatis has six home runs, 12 RBIs, four doubles and eight walks against seven strikeouts. In those games he's slashing .425/.531/.975. His 1.506 OPS is the fourth highest in MLB history through 11 playoff games.
Over the last few seasons, Tatis has dealt with injuries, a position switch and a PED suspension. That may have pushed him out of some people's minds. He has spent this postseason reminding fans who he is.
This rivalry keeps living up to the billing
The Dodgers and Padres don't like each other very much and that has been proven on many occasions over the years. What’s also been proven since the Padres’ recent rise is the two teams often play outstanding, exciting, eventful games against each other. Tuesday night was no exception.
There have been huge moments over the last few years, with players sniping at each other, managers being petty and sending messages through press conferences—and also some dang good baseball games.
The year-in, year-out duel between these two franchises has become the best theater MLB has to offer over the past few seasons. It has become the game's best rivalry west of the Mississippi—maybe the best rivalry, period. Luckily for fans, it just keeps getting better.
Petco Park is an unreal big game atmosphere
On Tuesday night a record 47,744 fans turned Petco Park into as loud and rowdy of an atmosphere as you'll find anywhere in baseball. It was absolutely electric.
FERNANDO. TATIS. JR. 🤩 #NLDS pic.twitter.com/DbwB6Q0TPJ
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024
The fans booed the visiting Dodgers mercilessly, broke out a deafening "Beat L.A.” chant, erupted in euphoria during big moments and sang along as Blink-182's Tom DeLonge led them in a chorus of "All the Small Things."
The @Padres are 1 win away from advancing to the NLCS for the 4th time in franchise history! pic.twitter.com/IIUX0Kbovn
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024
Any questions about San Diego's status as a sports city should be put to rest. Petco is rocking this postseason.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fernando Tatis Jr. Continues Historic Playoff Showing in Padres’ Game 3 Win.
