In Game 3 of their National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Diego Padres came back from an earlier deficit to win 4-3 and reduce the Brewers' series lead to 2-1. Key moments included Fernando Tatis Jr.'s groundout and Manny Machado's RBI single early on, followed by a dramatic bases-loaded escape by reliever Yuki Matsui in the fifth inning. The game saw San Diego employing unconventional strategies like using starter Michael King as an emergency reliever late in the game to secure their victory at Petco Park before a sellout crowd of 47,708.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The San Diego Padres faced an uphill battle after losing the first two games of their National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers in dramatic fashion. The Padres returned home to Petco Park for Game 3 with their season on the brink, trailing 2-0. Despite early leads in both Games 1 and 2 that they squandered, the Padres managed a crucial victory, winning 4-3, thanks to clutch performances from players like Samad Taylor and Manny Machado. The win trimmed Milwaukee’s series lead to 2-1, forcing Game 4 at Petco Park with San Diego refusing to go down without a fight.
Written for “Padres Playoff Fight” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
The Padres were one loss away from a vacation in Cancun, without their All-Star closer, and after blowing leads in both games in Milwaukee .
asserted
Padres → blow → Milwaukee
But on Tuesday night in Game 3, this time, they didn’t blink.
asserted
they → blink → Game
With Tom DeLonge of the band Blink 182 watching from behind home plate, the San Diego Padres held off the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3, surviving a tense game to stave off elimination and trim Milwaukee’s lead in the National League Division Series to 2-1.
asserted
Padres → watch → 2
At this point, they’ll take it.
asserted
they → take → it
San Diego struck first against former Dodgers’ pitcher Dustin May after Samad Taylor — inserted into the lineup when Gavin Sheets was scratched with a neck issue — singled and stole second.
uncertain
Sheets → strike → issue
Fernando Tatis Jr. brought him home with a groundout before Manny Machado punched a two-out RBI single into left for a 2-0 lead.
asserted
Machado → bring → lead
Nick Pivetta gave the Padres exactly what they needed early, but Milwaukee began its inevitable push in the fourth when William Contreras launched a solo homer to left, then took his time circling the bases and gestured between second and third as Petco Park serenaded him with boos.
asserted
Park → give → boos
The Brewers tied it in the next inning by stealing a run from underneath San Diego’s nose.
asserted
Brewers → tie → nose
With Cooper Pratt at third, Jackson Chourio lifted a shallow fly to left.
asserted
Chourio → lift → left
Pratt tagged anyway, challenging Dustin Harris’ arm, and scored when Harris’ throw arrived without enough mustard on it.
asserted
throw → tag → it
For a Padres team that had watched Milwaukee steal both games at American Family Field, it felt ominously familiar for the Friars.
asserted
it → watch → Friars
But reliever Yuki Matsui escaped a bases loaded jam and Jake Cronenworth put a stop to Milwaukee’s momentum by jumping on a JoJo Romero first-pitch sweeper in the bottom of the fifth for a leadoff homer that restored San Diego’s 3-2 lead.
asserted
that → escape → lead
The Padres added another run in appropriately chaotic fashion when former Yankee Miguel Andujar shattered his bat on a grounder to shortstop.
asserted
Andujar → add → shortstop
The broken lumber nearly found Xander Bogaerts, but he managed to avoid the splintered bat and the ball, while Pratt’s one-hopper to first wasn’t scooped cleanly by Brewers’ first baseman Jake Bauers and Bogaerts raced home for an insurance run.
asserted
Bogaerts → break → run
Milwaukee made it 4-3 on Christian Yelich’s two-out RBI single in the seventh, ensuring every remaining pitch would carry the weight of San Diego’s season.
And with Mason Miller unavailable after being placed on the Postseason Paternity List earlier Tuesday, the Padres reached for an unconventional fire extinguisher.
Michael King.
The Game 2 starter came roaring out of the bullpen to help finish what Pivetta and the Padres started, turning a starting pitcher into an emergency postseason weapon with San Diego’s season hanging in the balance.
asserted
season → make → balance
October doesn’t award style points for bullpen management.
asserted
October → award → management
It only asks whether you’re still playing tomorrow.
asserted
you → ask → ?
What it means
San Diego finally punched back.
asserted
Diego → mean → What
The Padres still trail the Brewers 2-1 and still have no margin for error, but Milwaukee missed its first opportunity to end this series.
asserted
Milwaukee → trail → series
Now Petco Park gets another October night Wednesday, with San Diego potentially choosing between Robbie Ray and veteran Walker Buehler for Game 4.
asserted
Diego → get → Game
Turning point
Milwaukee had just embarrassed San Diego by scoring Pratt from third on Chourio’s shallow fly, tying the game and seemingly stealing the momentum again.
asserted
Milwaukee → turn → momentum
Cronenworth needed exactly one pitch to steal it back.
asserted
Cronenworth → need → it
Did you see that?
asserted
you → see → that
There is no roof at Petco Park — and one Padres fan wanted Milwaukee to know it.
asserted
Milwaukee → be → it
After Ty France’s potential go-ahead homer struck an overhead obstruction at American Family Field in Game 1, a fan arrived Tuesday with a sign delivering the perfect reminder:
“In San Diego there’s no roof to save you.”
asserted
fan → go → you
The Padres and Brewers return to Petco Park Wednesday night for Game 4, with Milwaukee getting its second opportunity to clinch the series.
asserted
Milwaukee → return → series
San Diego’s pitching plan remains the biggest question.
asserted
plan → remain → ?
Ray could return after starting Game 1, while Buehler gives the Padres another option, or they could go with an opener.
uncertain
they → return → opener
The Aporia
