Padres starter Blake Snell threw 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball, and San Diego’s bullpen continued to put zeroes on the board. Offensively, Trent Grisham hit his third home run of the 2022 postseason. The winner of this series will advance to the NLCS to face the winner of the Philadelphia Phillies-Atlanta Braves NLDS. Now, for the takeaways from Game 3.
Tony Gonsolin couldn’t give the Dodgers much
Thanks to a forearm injury, Gonsolin missed more than a month and returned in time to make a brief start against the Rockies on Oct. 3. In Game 3 on Friday night, he wasn’t himself. The command was sorely lacking, and Gonsolin’s fastball velocity was down about the same (just as it was against Colorado in his last start). He endured a 31-pitch first inning and Dave Roberts was moved to get Andrew Heaney to warm up in the first frame. Things could have gotten worse in the second, but Gonsolin was able to escape disaster thanks in part to a Jurickson Profar bunt attempt gone awry. Roberts had designed about 75 pitches for Gonsolin in Game 3, but managed to last just 42 pitches and 1 1/3 innings. In that span he allowed one run on four hits with one strikeout and one walk. Through the first two games of this series, the Dodgers have received eight relief appearances and eight relief innings. Even with the off day before Game 3 and the first-round bye, LA’s pen is racking up some recent miles. This trend continued on Friday.
The Padres’ bathrobe was studs
Through the first two games of this series, San Diego’s bullpen has put up these numbers: 9 1/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 9 SO, 4 BB. Then, in the crucial Game 3, the same pen was tasked with protecting a one-run lead for 11 outs – including Nick Martinez in the sixth inheriting a runner in scoring position with one out. Once again, San Diego’s relief corps rose to the challenge and did so against one of the best offenses in MLB. Now for those updated numbers for the NLDS: 13 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 15 SO, 4 BB.
Trent Grisham continued his postseason fireworks
Pads center fielder and No. 8 hitter Trent Grisham endured a pretty rough regular season at the plate, but he was huge in the Wild Card Series upset of the Mets, striking out twice in three games. Through the first two games of the NLDS against the Dodgers, Grisham didn’t do much, but he rediscovered his first-round power strike in the fourth inning of Game 3: This one by Andrew Heaney left the bat at 109.8 mph and traveled 389 feet. This third home run of the 2022 postseason – through just six games played – put Grisham in elite franchise company: At the very least, he’ll have at least two more games to tie or break Jim Leyritz’s record. More importantly, the Padres likely wouldn’t be in their current state without Grisham’s power surge in October.
The Dodgers again struggled with runners in scoring position
The Dodgers on Friday night found themselves empty-handed in RISP situations for the second straight game. In Game 3, they went 0-for-9 with RISPs, and that means they are now 0-for-19 in such spots. Suffice it to say, the Dodgers are a few hits away from this streak that is very different.
History favors the Padres
Not surprisingly, the Padres are in a good position as they lead 2-1 in a best-of-5 series. In the history of top-five League Division series, a team has taken a 2-1 series lead 67 times, and 49 of those 2-1 teams have won the series. Put another way, just 26.9 percent of teams down 2-1 in the LDS have come back to win, the LDS said. For the Dodgers, the first step in defying the odds and history comes in Saturday’s Game 4. Tyler Anderson goes for LA vs. Joe Musgrove and first pitch is scheduled for 9:07 p.m. ET back at Petco Park in San Diego. Shortstop Trea Turner could be a game-time decision for the Dodgers. He injured his fingers in Game 3 while diving back to first base on a pick-off attempt. X-rays were negative.
