Padres stay alive as Jake Cronenworth delivers season-saving swing against Brewers

Add Sporting News on Google div))]:my-4″ data-testid=”advert–mobile_branded_logo” id=”Branded_Logo_Mobile”> The San Diego Padres aren’t ready for their season to end. Jake Cronenworth made sure of it.

Cronenworth homered as San Diego defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Tuesday in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, cutting Milwaukee’s advantage in the best-of-five series to 2-1.

The Brewers entered Petco Park with an opportunity to finish the series.

Instead, the Padres finally found a way to survive. Now San Diego gets another chance Wednesday.

San Diego grabbed an early lead before Milwaukee responded. The Brewers had plenty of opportunities to put the game away, finishing with 11 hits. They couldn’t capitalize often enough.

JAKE CRONENWORTH! PADRES BACK IN FRONT! https://t.co/Egy3dzuhnS

Cronenworth delivered the swing San Diego desperately needed, launching a solo home run that helped the Padres regain control. Manny Machado also produced a key RBI single. San Diego finished with fewer hits than Milwaukee but made its opportunities count.

The Brewers repeatedly put runners on base but stranded 11 of them. San Diego didn’t need to dominate the box score.

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Milwaukee remains in control of the series. The Brewers still need only one victory to advance. But the pressure changes every time an elimination game slips away.

San Diego entered Tuesday knowing one bad inning could finish its season.

The Padres will enter Wednesday knowing another victory would force a decisive Game 5 back in Milwaukee. That possibility looked distant when the Brewers arrived in San Diego with a 2-0 series lead.

The Padres still have plenty of work ahead. Milwaukee has been the better team for much of the series and will have another opportunity to finish things in Game 4.

But postseason baseball often turns on one swing.

Tuesday, Cronenworth provided it. San Diego’s season was six outs from potentially disappearing.

Instead, the Padres woke up Wednesday morning with another game to play. And if they can win one more, this series starts all over again.

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.