Dodgers Fall Short in NLDS Game 3 to Padres, Series Tightens
The Los Angeles Dodgers' hopes for a quick series sweep were dashed on Tuesday night as the San Diego Padres fought back with a thrilling 5-3 victory in Game 3 of the NLDS. The win keeps the Padres alive in the series, tightening the race to the NLCS.
The Dodgers, looking to build on their dominant Game 2 performance, found themselves trailing early. The Padres struck first in the second inning, thanks to a solo home run by Manny Machado off Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw. San Diego added another run in the third, this time with a Juan Soto double that brought home Fernando Tatis Jr.
The Dodgers clawed back with a run in the fourth, but the Padres responded with another two runs in the sixth to extend their lead to 4-1. The Dodgers threatened in the seventh and eighth, but ultimately couldn't overcome the Padres' pitching.
Kershaw, despite a strong outing, didn't have his best stuff. He allowed three runs in five innings, giving way to the bullpen. While the Dodgers' relievers held strong, the offense couldn't find a way to get the big hit needed to close the gap.
The Padres, on the other hand, rode the strong pitching of Blake Snell, who earned the win with a dominant performance. Snell pitched six innings, allowing only one run and striking out seven Dodgers hitters.
The series now shifts back to Los Angeles, with Game 4 scheduled for Wednesday. With the Padres showing they can compete, the Dodgers will need to come out strong and regain their momentum if they want to avoid a series upset. The pressure is on the Dodgers to close out the series and advance to the NLCS, but the Padres have shown they're not going down without a fight.
