The National League Division Series shifts to Petco Park with the San Diego Padres facing a must-win situation after falling behind 0-2 in the series. Milwaukee has controlled the first two games, but postseason baseball can change quickly, especially when the series changes venues. The Padres have been one of the better home teams in the league all season, and with their backs against the wall, expect an energized atmosphere and a desperate effort to keep their season alive. San Diego knows there is no tomorrow with another loss, making this one of its biggest games of the year.
The Brewers will hand the ball to Dustin May, who enters with a 5-7 record and a 4.38 ERA. San Diego counters with Nick Pivetta, who has been outstanding since joining the rotation, posting a 3-2 record with a 2.86 ERA. Pivetta also made one postseason start against the Cubs, allowing just one run over 3.1 innings before being given an early leash. He should be in line for a longer outing this time around, and the Padres will need him to set the tone early. While Milwaukee has all the momentum after taking the first two games, San Diego holds the advantage on the mound in Game 3 and returns home in a win-or-go-home scenario. With the crowd behind them and their season on the line, this feels like the spot for the Padres to answer back and send the series back to Milwaukee for Game 4.
Brewers vs Padres Game 3 prediction: Padres ML (-134) available at time of publishing. Playable to -150.
