Cronenworth homers, King closes as Padres beat Brewers 4-3 to stay alive

Jake Cronenworth broke a fifth-inning tie with a solo home run, Michael King secured the final six outs, and the Padres kept their season alive with a 4-3 win over the Brewers on Tuesday night at Petco Park. Milwaukee still leads the National League Division Series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday at 10 p.m. Eastern in San Diego.

King’s relief appearance gave the Padres a way to finish without closer Mason Miller, who went on the paternity list before first pitch. King had started Game 2 on Sunday. Two days later, he returned for two scoreless innings and a save, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out one on 40 pitches.

The ninth inning made the narrow margin uncomfortable. King struck out Jake Bauers, then walked William Contreras and Brice Turang. Luis Lara, running for Contreras, reached second as the potential tying run. Christian Yelich grounded toward the middle, where Xander Bogaerts fielded the ball, stepped on second and threw to first for the double play that ended the game.

MLB’s official highlights cover the October 6 Game 3 matchup.

San Diego built its first lead in the third. Samad Taylor singled, stole second and scored on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s groundout. Jackson Merrill also singled and stole second before Manny Machado brought him home with a single. Taylor had entered the starting lineup after Gavin Sheets was scratched with a stiff neck.

Milwaukee answered in two stages. Contreras homered in the fourth, and Jackson Chourio’s fifth-inning sacrifice fly scored Cooper Pratt to tie the game. That rally continued after Nick Pivetta’s exit, but the Padres kept it from becoming a larger inning. Matsui got Brice Turang to ground into a forceout with the bases loaded.

Cronenworth immediately restored the lead, driving JoJo Romero’s first pitch of the bottom of the fifth over the right-field wall. San Diego added the run that proved decisive in the sixth. Bogaerts singled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Pratt’s throw on Miguel Andujar’s grounder became an error.

The Brewers closed the gap in the seventh. With two outs, Contreras and Turang singled before Yelich’s single brought Contreras home. Bradgley Rodriguez struck out Garrett Mitchell to preserve a 4-3 lead before handing the eighth and ninth to King.

Pivetta allowed two runs and five hits in 4⅓ innings, striking out four without a walk. Milwaukee starter Dustin May lasted three innings, giving up two runs and three hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Matsui earned the win, while Romero took the loss.

Milwaukee finished with 11 hits but stranded 11 runners. San Diego had six hits and committed no errors. The Padres have forced another home game, but still need two more wins to advance. Miller’s return remained uncertain after his placement on the paternity list; Wandy Peralta replaced him on the series roster.