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    • The Padres bring the Dodgers to the brink of elimination after winning NLDS Game 3
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    The Padres bring the Dodgers to the brink of elimination after winning NLDS Game 3

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

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    SAN DIEGO – Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. are the Batman and Robin of the San Diego Padres.

    They have absurd talents. Tatis hit a two-run home run in the Padres’ crazy 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, sending the sellout crowd of 47,774 into complete hysterics.

    “Man, when I hit it, I don’t know, I just passed out,” Tatis said. “I started screaming at my shelter, just the energy coming through the roof.”

    The two annoy their opponents to no end.

    “That’s kind of part of their game,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said, “trying to get under the skin and bring out the emotions.”

    And as Machado demonstrated with a brilliant baserunning maneuver that was completely legal and baffled the Dodgers, they can annoy the opposition with their intellect.

    “That’s the highest IQ in baseball,” Tatis said of Machado. “When you see plays like that and you immediately know what you have to do, especially on plays like that, Manny is Manny.”

    The dynamic duo went to work in the second inning after Mookie Betts hit a home run in the first inning.

    Machado, the man the Dodgers and their fans love to hate, led off the second inning with a sharp single to center. It looked like it would be a waste when rookie Jackson Merrill hit a sharp groundball to first baseman Freddie Freeman. Freeman caught the ball, fell to his knees and was ready to launch a double play.

    “I knew right away what I was going to do,” Machado said. “I just know the rules. “We practiced that all spring training and it came up in a big situation.”

    Machado, sensing that Freeman’s throw would come from a difficult angle, made it even more difficult by veering onto the infield grass instead of running straight to second base.

    “I could have run to right field if I wanted to,” Machado said. “I knew I could create any path I wanted to run second once that path was created.

    “You just learn the rules and know what to do when you have the opportunity.”

    Freeman threw the ball, but because Machado obstructed his view as he threw it to shortstop Miguel Rojas at second base, the ball bounced off Machado’s shoulder and bounced harmlessly away from Rojas. Everyone was safe and Freeman was charged with a throwing error.

    “You can create your own base path if you don’t want to avoid a tag,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was an exhilarating game.”

    Truly a brilliant game where Machado knew the rules like he was a referee.

    “Really good baseball play from Manny,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt, who was then visited by Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, his mentor. “Basically, the baserunner can create his own baseline until an actual play attempt occurs against him. So at this point you can run inside the line just like him and force a throw as is. You can do it from any base.

    “Once the fielder has to attempt a play, the baseline is now set and you can go from there.

    The Dodgers were suddenly unhinged. Xander Bogaerts hit a sharp grounder to Rojas, but instead of another double play, Rojas ran to second base, where Merrill outran him to the bag and his throw to first base was too late to catch Bogaerts.

    Before the Dodgers knew it, the Padres had a 6-1 lead after Tatis Walker slammed Buehler’s 0-2 fastball into the seats.

    “This rally wouldn’t have started,” Tatis said, “if (Machado) hadn’t made that play. “That’s how big and how big it was for us.”

    Of course, it was Tatis who made the Dodgers pay the ultimate price with his latest exploits and a postseason for the ages.

    Tatis is batting .555 with four home runs, two doubles and seven RBI in the first five games of this postseason. His OPS of 1.970 is the second highest of any player through the first five games of a postseason.

    “It’s just beautiful and definitely a blessing to everything that I’ve been through, what we’ve been through as a group,” said Tatis, who missed two and a half months this season due to a stress reaction in his right femur and was suspended as a result of PED use. when the Padres were in the postseason in 2022. “When you play baseball like that in the postseason, you get all those memories back. “You’re just grateful for where you are.

    “I just enjoy every single moment and definitely don’t take it for granted.”

    It may be too early to call him the West Coast version of Mr. October, but he’s definitely on his way.

    “Obviously there are a lot of hitters that are tied up into October,” said Padres starter Michael King, who gave up five runs in five innings and was the winning pitcher thanks to four shutout innings from the bullpen. “Sometimes it’s a superstar. Sometimes it’s not a superstar. But it’s really impressive to see the superstar holding on like he does.

    “It’s must-see TV.”

    With the way the Padres are playing, Tatis could showcase his postseason shine in the next few weeks. They must beat the Dodgers again in this best-of-five series to reach the NLCS for the second time in three years.

    The Padres, who have been aggressive with their trades and style of play all season, aren’t going to stop now. They decided to take starter Dylan Cease, whom they acquired in spring training from the Chicago White Sox, on a short break Wednesday.

    “I feel great and I’m ready to do this,” said Cease, who gave up five earned runs in 3 ⅓ innings in the Padres’ 7-5 loss to the Dodgers in Game 1. “They told me a few days ago that they might do that, so I’m prepared. “I look forward to it.”

    The Dodgers will utilize their bullpen and opt to save Game 1 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto for a possible Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.

    “Certainly not a great situation,” Roberts said, “but as far as winning a ballgame (Wednesday), I think we’re in a really good position.”

    “I feel good about the length and quality we have for a potential Game 5.”

    The Padres will tell you they don’t care who the Dodgers throw.

    They aren’t worried about Shohei Ohtani, who has been out of action since his home run in Game 1.

    They’re not worried about the difficulty of beating the Dodgers in three straight games.

    They believe this is their time and this is the year they win the first World Series in franchise history.

    “Definitely don’t worry,” Tatis said. “It’s something you build over the years by gaining experience playing against these guys. No fear.

    “We just show up and play along.”

    And won a lot of games in October.

    Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

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    Madoc Meredith
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