Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs within the seventh inning and the San Diego Padres rallied previous the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 Saturday night time to advance to the NL Championship Collection for the primary time since 1998.
The Padres shocked the 111-win Dodgers with a five-run seventh to win the best-of-five NL Division Collection 3-1 in entrance of a raucous sellout crowd of 45,139 at Petco Park.
“It’s about to be a celebration out right here tonight,” mentioned beginning pitcher Joe Musgrove, who grew up a Padres fan within the San Diego suburbs.
“I imply, since I used to be slightly child we’ve been getting beat up by the Dodgers. However when it comes right down to it and the video games matter, this crew stepped up, from prime to backside.”
San Diego will host the Philadelphia Phillies in Video games 1 and a couple of of an all-wild card NLCS on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Phillies beat the defending World Collection champion Atlanta Braves 8-3 earlier within the day to win their NLDS in 4 video games.
The group roared when Josh Hader, obtained from Milwaukee on Aug. 1, struck out Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman in succession to finish it. Padres gamers celebrated wildly on the infield and fireworks went off above the downtown ballpark. Manny Machado and Juan Soto exhorted the followers for extra.
The Padres final reached the NLCS 24 years in the past after they beat Atlanta in six video games and have been then swept by the New York Yankees within the World Collection. A handful of gamers from that crew watched from a luxurious suite, together with Corridor of Fame nearer Trevor Hoffman and middle fielder Steve Finley.
The sport was delayed 31 minutes in the beginning by rain, which returned within the eighth inning and prompted a brief delay whereas the grounds crew labored on the mound.
After left-hander Tyler Anderson stymied the Padres by way of 5 scoreless innings, San Diego broke by way of in opposition to the Dodgers’ bullpen within the seventh.
Jurickson Profar drew a leadoff stroll in opposition to Tommy Kahnle, took third on Trent Grisham’s single and scored when Austin Nola’s infield single glanced off Freeman’s glove at first base. Yency Almonte, who took the loss, got here on and was greeted by Kim Ha-seong’s RBI double contained in the third bottom line, adopted by Soto’s tying single to proper.
With two outs and the gang on its toes, Cronenworth singled to middle off native product Alex Vesia to present the Padres the lead, elevating his arms in celebration as he rounded first after which punching the air together with his proper fist as he pulled into second base on the throw residence. Soto, acquired from Washington in a blockbuster commerce Aug. 2, slid residence headfirst and jumped up and cheered.
After the primary rain delay, followers have been amped up in anticipation of Musgrove pitching his hometown Padres into the NL Championship Collection. The large right-hander from suburban El Cajon, a first-time All-Star in 2022, was the primary Padres pitcher from San Diego to make a postseason begin in his hometown.
However Anderson outpitched Musgrove, holding the Padres to 2 hits by way of 5 innings.
The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead within the third. Betts walked with one out and Turner scorched a grounder previous third baseman Machado, who has carried the Padres a lot of the season, to maneuver Betts to 3rd. Freeman, who helped the Braves win the World Collection final yr earlier than signing with the Dodgers as a free agent, doubled down the fitting subject line to deliver them each in.
Will Smith hit a sacrifice fly in opposition to Steven Wilson with the bases loaded within the seventh for a 3-0 lead, however successful pitcher Tim Hill prevented additional injury.
The Dodgers have been left with a large disappointment. Supervisor Dave Roberts predicted throughout spring coaching that they’d win the World Collection. They received the NL West for the ninth time in 10 seasons and completed 22 video games forward of San Diego. The Dodgers went 14-5 in opposition to the Padres within the common season and had received 9 straight regular-season sequence in opposition to them.
“These guys dominated us all yr lengthy, however we bought sizzling on the proper time. And also you see the unity on this group, this fan base — we wished to present it to those folks so dangerous,” Musgrove mentioned. “It’s a superb feeling.”
Musgrove was making an attempt for his second straight playoff series-clinching win. On Sunday night time, he dominated the New York Mets at Citi Subject, permitting only one hit and one stroll in seven innings in a 6-0 win that despatched the Padres to the NLDS.
He gave up two runs and 6 hits in six innings in opposition to the Dodgers, struck out eight and walked three.
FIRST PITCH
Jake Peavy, the 2007 NL Cy Younger Award winner who was Musgrove’s boyhood idol, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to former teammate Mark Loretta. Musgrove switched to Peavy’s No. 44 after he was obtained by the Padres previous to the 2021 season. Peavy mentioned he texted congratulations to Musgrove after he threw the primary no-hitter in franchise historical past on April 9, 2021, and met him for the primary time this weekend. “Like, I’m honored that this dude noticed me,” Peavy mentioned of being Musgrove’s idol, “as a result of I did it with the Roger Clemens and the Nolan Ryans of the world. I regarded as much as these guys and ripped off a few of their recreation to turn out to be my very own model of myself.”
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Play their spring coaching opener Feb. 25 in opposition to Milwaukee.
Padres: RHP Yu Darvish seemingly will get the beginning Tuesday night time in Sport 1 of the NLCS.