The San Diego Padres clawed their way to a grueling 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in a must-win Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night, but it was Michael King’s unbelievable performance that truly stole the show. After two brutal losses in Milwaukee where the Friars blew leads, the team was staring down the barrel back home at Petco Park, and it took everything they had to pull out what many called the best game of the season.
Backs Against the Wall
Talk about a gut punch. After making their Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs look like a walk in the park,offense relentless, pitching dominant, totally stress-free,the Padres hit a brick wall against the Brewers. The first two games in Milwaukee were the most stressful, exhausting baseball imaginable. Losing both, after being ahead in each one? Brutal. They came home with their backs completely against the wall, needing Game 3 to stay alive. The 47,708 fans at Petco Park, alongside everyone watching on TV, battled through a grueling 3 hours and 22 minutes of baseball. It was a spectacular, exhausting competition, where both teams showed crazy tenacity. The Padres took an early two-run lead, but they had to keep responding to a Brewers squad that just would not quit, proving it was going to be a battle to the last out.
King Steps Up When It Matters Most
The Padres already knew they were in a tough spot coming into this must-win game. What fans didn’t know was that they’d be down their two most high-leverage relievers: closer Mason Miller was out attending the birth of his first child, and Adrian Morejon was sidelined with a sore shoulder. That’s a huge blow for any team, leaving manager Craig Stammen and his coaching staff scrambling to cover whatever innings starter Nick Pivetta left for the bullpen. Enter Michael King. This guy, after throwing 72 pitches in his Game 2 start on Sunday in their 4-3 loss, told Stammen he’d be available for the bullpen in both Game 3 and Game 4. Seriously? A starter, just days after pitching, making himself available for relief? King was a reliever before becoming a starter, so that experience came in clutch. Instead of his usual between-starts bullpen session on Tuesday, he reported straight to the bullpen at the start of the game. Xander Bogaerts’ awe was obvious in the postgame scrum. He saw King warming up before the eighth inning and couldn’t believe it. “It’s unbelievable him being available for that,” Bogaerts said. With Miller out, King became the de facto closer. Stammen had already used Jason Adam and Bradgley R (whoever that is) when King got the call.
After a brutal 3 hours and 22 minutes of intense baseball, the Padres proved they still have fight. With King stepping up in such a huge way, the question now is how much more magic can they find to keep this improbable run going in the NLDS.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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