Mookie Betts snapped his postseason drought but the Los Angeles Dodgers could not capitalize on it as they fell 6-5 to the San Diego Padres in Game 3 to swing the National League Division Series. The Dodgers are now facing elimination in the NLDS for the third consecutive year.
In eerily similar fashion to the first inning of Game 2, Betts lifted a fly ball to left field that Jurickson Profar tracked as he neared the wall. But whereas Profar made a leaping catch to rob Betts of a home run on Sunday, the ball skipped off his glove in Game 3.
Betts initially believed Profar made yet another highlight-reel catch and began to cross in front of second base to head toward the dugout before realizing he hit a homer.
Betts’ home run ended an 0-for-22 postseason drought. It also represented the first time the Dodgers scored before their opponent in the playoffs since Game 4 of the 2022 NLDS, against the same Padres.
Walker Buehler produced a scoreless first inning but was let down by shaky defense the next frame.
After a leadoff single by Manny Machado, Freddie Freeman made an errant throw to second base upon making a diving stop to his right. The fielder’s choice left runners at the corners with nobody out, and included some controversy as Machado ran well onto the infield grass to make the throw more difficult.
Xander Bogearts then grounded into a potential double but Miguel Rojas was late to step on second base and throw to first, allowing a run to score without getting an out.
David Peralta’s chopper got by a diving Freeman for a two-run double and Kyle Higashioka’s sacrifice fly extended the Padres’ lead to 4-1. Fernando Tatis Jr. then capped off the big inning with a two-run homer that appeared to be a knockout punch.
Buehler got through five innings, a key accomplishment considering a Dodgers bullpen game looms on Wednesday.
But the Dodgers clawed right back against Michael King by loading the bases with nobody out in the third inning. Teoscar Hernández put a big dent in the Padres’ lead by hitting the sixth grand slam in Dodgers postseason history.
Prior to Hernández, Max Muncy had the last grand slam for the Dodgers in the playoffs when he hit one in Game 3 of the 2020 NL Championship Series.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, they never managed to draw any closer. Their best opportunity to tie or take the lead came with the top of the Dodgers lineup batting in the eighth inning.
Freeman hit a two-out single but Robert Suarez took over for Tanner Scott and retired Hernández.
Dodgers vs. Padres NLDS Game 3 stat
The Padres now have the Dodgers on the brink of elimination and MLB postseason history on their side. The winner of Game 3 has advanced to the NLCS 72% of the time.
Dodgers injuries
Michael Grove was removed from the Dodgers postseason roster because of a right shoulder injury, and replaced by Ben Casparius.
Meanwhile, Rojas, who has been bothered by a torn left adductor muscle, aggravated the injury and came out of the game during the third inning.
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