In a thrilling matchup, the San Diego Padres edged out the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 on Tuesday night, taking a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series. A record-breaking crowd of 47,744 rallied behind the Padres at Petco Park, waving towels and cheering on their team.
Fernando Tatis Jr. stole the show with a towering two-run homer in the second inning, giving the Padres a 6-1 advantage. The energetic slugger feeds off the crowd’s energy, saying, “I feel like I take it to another level; my mindset, my body. Everything is through the roof.” Manager Mike Shildt praised Tatis, stating, “He likes it… He’s one of the many guys on our team that appreciates and enjoys bright lights and embraces it.”
The Dodgers fought back, with Teoscar Hernandez hitting a grand slam in the third inning to bring the score within a run. Mookie Betts also broke his 0-for-22 playoff slump with a home run, although he initially thought it was caught by left fielder Jurickson Profar.
Michael King earned his second playoff win, allowing five runs and five hits in five innings. The Padres’ offense exploded in the second inning, with Xander Bogaerts driving in a run, David Peralta hitting a two-run double, and Kyle Higashioka adding a sacrifice fly before Tatis’ homer.
The Dodgers’ Walker Buehler, making his first playoff start since 2021, took the loss, allowing six runs and seven hits in five innings. Despite the setback, Freddie Freeman remained optimistic, saying, “I like how we fought after we came back after that six-run inning… Mookie got some hits today and things are looking good.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday night at Petco Park, with the Padres one win away from eliminating the Dodgers in the NLDS for the second time in three seasons.
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