Electricity Ran Through Petco Park In Critical Win

45,137 fans had Petco Park shaking as the Padres hosted their first postseason games with fans in attendance since 2006. Every pitch in the game had the Friar Faithful roaring as the intensity increased throughout every out recorded. After a 2-1 victory, the Padres are one win way to possibly move on to the National League Championship Series for the first time reaching that point since 1998. No better way than to try and clinch that than having El Cajon native Joe Musgrove on the bump, who just came off a tremendous start in the Wild Card elimination game against the Mets.

Trent Grisham (right) celebrates with Jurickson Profar after putting the Padres up 2-0 with a solo home run off Andrew Heaney in the bottom of the fourth inning. Credit to Yahoo Sports for this image.

Maybe starting the postseason as a Wild Card team was a blessing in disguise. As the Padres and Dodgers secured a date in the NLDS, San Diego was doubted yet again in another series. They can prove the "experts" wrong in back-to-back series. Have all the accomplishments you want in the regular season, but if it does not result in a World Series trophy coming to that city, nobody cares that you won a franchise-high 111 games in the Dodgers case. Nobody cares about your regular season dominance against another team. The past is the past. In the postseason, every team and every players stats reset to 0.

All San Diego had to do in this series was to split a game a piece in Dodger Stadium in which they did. This gave them the momentum to carry on coming back home with fans roaring in the stands. Now at a 2-1 Padres series lead, the Dodgers are facing potential elimination. Where are all the "Dodgers in three comments?"

The Padres are outperforming the Dodgers on pitching and a lot of that has come down to managing. Bob Melvin has out-managed Dave Roberts. What else is new? Anyone can beat Roberts but this is great to witness. Now, it is a difficult task with the injuries Los Angeles has suffered. Walker Buehler out for the season, Dustin May having to make a careful comeback and Game 3 starter Tony Gonsolin dealing with a forearm injury later in the season. But no excuses. A team with injuries was able to take 111 games and win the division in early September. All that was mentioned was their depth and their star power. Now the Padres pitchers are making the Dodgers look like they have not played in days as that can be the one downside to winning the division. Teams who win their division have to wait longer now potentially with a three-game Wild Card series compared to one-and-done in the past. The Dodgers look lost at the plate.

San Diego is undefeated this postseason (4-0) when leading in the game first. Keep that trend going as pitchers can take a breath and pitch with slight comfort rather than hitters having pressure from being down. Petco Park lifted off its feet when Jake Cronenworth recorded an RBI single that brought in Soto off a struggling Gonsolin in the first. Gonsolin, who most knew was going to be on a pitch count only went 1.1 innings was not feeling his splitter. Next thing you know, Roberts must go to the bullpen and waste more arms yet again. Heaney ate three innings but Los Angeles still put in four substitutions after him on the mound. A Grisham home run (3rd of the postseason leading the league) put the Padres up 2-0 which was critical. Mookie Betts recorded a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth off Blake Snell but that was all as Snell, the Padres bullpen and defense was stellar. Snell went 5.1 innings and surrendered five hits, one earned run, two walks and six strikeouts. As for the pen, only Suarez gave up one hit. No relievers gave up another hit or any walks the rest of the way. Incredible as the Padres pen recorded 39 crucial outs against the Dodgers this series.

Los Angeles who was complimented for their offense has been shutdown with dominant pitching and great defense. The Padres have understood since their Game 1 loss to attack the Dodgers hitters in the zone and force them to make contact as they are not a team to chase. Plus with defense, while the shift is still allowed, why not take advantage of strategizing for outs?

Now, on Saturday October 15th, 2022 at 6:37 p.m. PT, the Padres have a chance to record 27 outs and eliminate the Los Angeles Dodgers. What better way to get this done than having the El Cajon native Joe Musgrove carry the helm? Musgrove of course came off that brilliant performance against the Mets which became an earful after the win. Tyler Anderson will take the mound for the Dodgers in their possible elimination game. Losing Buehler and having to be cautious with Dustin May has hurt this squad and the Padres need to take full advantage and not risk anything. In a loud Petco Park yet again with lefty-heavy Dodger pitchers and a weaker team looking to avoid embarrassment, it is time for this 2022 San Diego Padres team to prove everyone wrong and seal this series shut. Maybe even a little bit of goose magic can help this team move on tomorrow. Let's capture the moment Friar Faithful!