May faces Pivetta as Brewers seek NLDS sweep in San Diego

Milwaukee has a chance to finish the National League Division Series Tuesday in San Diego, but the Brewers will need a road breakthrough to do it. They lead the Padres 2-0 after two comeback victories at home. Game 3 starts at 9:30 p.m. Eastern on FS1, with Dustin May opposing Nick Pivetta.

The first two games produced a different kind of pressure for each club. Jackson Chourio's two-run walk-off single won Game 2 against Padres closer Mason Miller. San Diego now needs three consecutive wins to advance, beginning with a pitcher who spent much of the summer recovering from an elbow injury.

Pivetta returned September 7 after a lengthy absence with a right elbow flexor strain. He has a 1.64 ERA over five starts since that return, according to MLB's Game 3 preview. His last outing was Wild Card Game 2, when he allowed one run in 3⅓ innings before manager Craig Stammen turned to the bullpen.

That short postseason start makes the available relief options part of Tuesday's matchup. Miller remains San Diego's late-inning anchor, with Adrian Morejon in a setup role. Walker Buehler returned from paternity leave Monday and is available, MLB reported. Stammen said ahead of Game 3 that he would use the pitchers needed to keep the series going.

May is making his first postseason start. Milwaukee acquired him from St. Louis at the trade deadline, and his ten starts for the Brewers produced a 5.65 ERA. His last eight outings were especially difficult, with a 7.61 ERA.

His season against San Diego tells a different story: a 1.23 ERA in three starts. That includes a June 15 complete-game shutout for St. Louis, when he allowed one hit and struck out nine. Tuesday tests whether that matchup history travels into October.

Milwaukee's bullpen has supplied nine scoreless innings through the first two games. The Brewers also have bulk options Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison available behind May.

A win would end an 11-game road postseason losing streak for Milwaukee, whose last such victory came in the 2018 NLCS at Dodger Stadium. For San Diego, the immediate goal is smaller: win Tuesday and bring the series back for Game 4.

October 6 lineup update: Sheets scratched

Gavin Sheets was scratched from San Diego’s Game 3 lineup because of a stiff neck, MLB reported in its updated pregame preview. Samad Taylor takes his place at designated hitter and bats eighth. The change concerns the lineup for Tuesday’s game; the report does not give a longer recovery timetable.

Milwaukee starts Joey Ortiz at third base and moves Jake Bauers to the second spot. San Diego has Jackson Merrill batting second and rookie catcher Ethan Salas fifth. The confirmed batting orders are: