Padres Stave Off Elimination, Beat Brewers 4-3 in NLDS Game 3 Behind Cronenworth Homer and King's Two-Inning Save

The San Diego Padres avoided playoff elimination Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park, cutting Milwaukee's lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1.

Jake Cronenworth broke a 2-2 tie with a solo home run to right field off reliever JoJo Romero in the fifth inning, and Xander Bogaerts scored what proved to be the winning run on a throwing error in the sixth. The Padres then survived a tense ninth inning when Bogaerts, at shortstop, fielded Christian Yelich's sharp grounder, stepped on second base, and threw to first for a game-ending double play.

Manager Craig Stammen leaned heavily on his pitching staff after closer Mason Miller was placed on the paternity list roughly 45 minutes before first pitch and setup man Adrian Morejon was unavailable with shoulder stiffness. Michael King, who threw five innings in a Game 2 start in Milwaukee on Sunday, emerged from the bullpen in the eighth and pitched the final two frames for his first save as a Padre.

"I know that I have bullets in my arm that I don't want to save," King said after the game. "If you're in an elimination game, you want everybody to be all in on it."

The game was the third consecutive one-run decision in the series after the Padres dropped both games in Milwaukee on walk-offs. It marks the first playoff series since the 2021 National League Championship Series to begin with three straight one-run games.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado drove in early runs for San Diego. William Contreras homered and collected three hits for the Brewers, who left 11 runners on base and extended their postseason road losing streak to 12 games dating to 2018.

Game 4 Wednesday

Walker Buehler is expected to start Game 4 for the Padres on Wednesday night at Petco Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. If San Diego wins, Game 5 will be played Friday in Milwaukee.

The Padres' postseason run has provided a significant boost to downtown businesses. The team estimates that a normal regular-season home game generates roughly $9.3 million in economic activity, with playoff games drawing even larger crowds and spending in the Gaslamp Quarter and surrounding areas.

MTS has added extra Green Line Trolley service between Stadium and Gaslamp Quarter stations to handle sold-out postseason crowds.