Padres drop NLDS opener as Brewers rally behind pair of home runs

Despite taking an early two-run lead, the San Diego Padres saw it all slip away as the Milwaukee Brewers turned the game around with a pair of home runs in a 3-2 loss in game one of the National League Division Series on Saturday night.

After scoring the first two runs of the game in the second inning, San Diego went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners. Milwaukee got a game-tying two-run home run from Jackson Chourio in the third off starter Robbie Ray, then William Contreras hit the game-winning solo shot off Adrian Morejon in the seventh.

The chances down the stretch were particularly agonizing for the Padres. None hurt more than in the ninth inning when Ty France hit a sky-scraping blast that hit off the cables in the roof of American Family Field, knocking it down to be caught on the warning track in left field.

There was a bases-loaded opportunity in the seventh, where Fernando Tatis Jr. singled against reliever Abner Uribe with one out, then Manny Machado added another knock to right with two down. France got hit by a pitch, then DL Hall came on in relief and got a fly out to end the inning.

Morejon came on to face the Brewers and mowed through the first two batters thanks to a spectacular stop by Jake Cronenworth on Chourio and a Brice Turang fly out on two pitches. But Contreras worked the count full, and on a full-count sinker connected to send the solo shot out to right-center field.

Manager Craig Stammen made four separate moves as part of the eighth inning where the Padres were able to get men on first and second with one down following a Miguel Andujar fielder’s choice and a Luis Campusano walk. Samad Taylor replaced on the base paths, then Austin Hays pinch hit for Cronenworth and flew out allowing a tag and advance. Jase Bowen replaced Campusano, so the Brewers turned to closer Trevor Megill, who struck Tatis out to stand the runners.

Then in the ninth after Dustin Harris notched his second single of the game, Machado struck out on three consecutive fastballs. France’s misfortune followed, and Jackson Merrill flew out to end the game.

The Padres came out looking to make Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski run his pitch count up, spoiling his 100-plus MPH fastball foul and attacking the off-speed pitches. After facing 25 pitches in the first, with Harris battling through a nine-pitch at bat before grounding out and Machado doubling on an eight-pitch effort, the strategy paid dividends in the second inning.

Xander Bogaerts hit an infield single that shortstop Cooper Pratt dove to stop but couldn’t get the throw across. Ethan Salas followed up by stroking his first career postseason hit back up the middle, then Campusano ripped a single down the first base line for an RBI single.

Cronenworth followed up by grinding an eight-pitch at bat before hitting a broken bat grounder to first baseman Jake Bauers, who instead of taking the out at first tried to get Salas at home. The rookie beat the throw out, giving the Padres an early 2-0 lead. All four of the hits came off off-speed pitches, two off the slider and two off the cutter. San Diego loaded the bases, but had to settle for the pair of runs.

But Ray ran into trouble in the third inning, seeing Garrett Mitchell lead off by hitting an infield single on a broken bat that exploded off an inside sinker on the hands. Then to start the Brewers second time through the order, Jackson Chourio attacked a first-pitch slider and launched it 420 feet to left-center field for a game-tying home run.

Back-to-back walks to Turang and Contreras, then a flipped flare single to right field by Bauers loaded the bases. A liner to left field by Christian Yelich wasn’t deep enough to score a run, but it ended the night for Ray with 2 2/3 innings pitched, having allowed four hits and two walks with a strikeout. Bradgley Rodriguez came out of the pen to get a ground out to end the threat, with Ray tagged for two runs.

Misiorowski’s night ended with four innings pitched, allowing four hits and two runs with a walk and six strikeouts.

Rodriguez worked around allowing a lead-off walk in the fourth to Luis Lara and then spiking a pick-off throw over to first that got away and allowed the right fielder to take second. Two clutch strikeouts and getting a Chourio flyout ended the threat.

The Padres generated two-out RISP opportunities in the fifth after Harris singled and was caught stealing. Machado won an ABS review to walk and France singled. A wild pitch by reliever Aaron Ashby, who replaced Antonio Senzatella, moved the men to second and third, but would remain there as the inning ended with a flyout.

Four of the six games between the Padres and Brewers in the regular season were within two runs, two separated by just one run.

Game two will see Michael King (12-10, 3.21 ERA) make his second start of the postseason for the Padres, going against righty Logan Henderson (11-3, 2.47 ERA) in his first ever postseason start. Henderson, the second-year pro, allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings in his only start against the Padres, allowing home runs to France and Merrill’s two-run shot to take the 3-2 loss on Aug. 10.

First pitch from American Family Field is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT, with FS1 providing the television coverage and KWFN 97.3 FM airing the Padres Radio Network broadcast.