Dodgers on brink of elimination after 6-5 loss to Padres

San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr., right, celebrates as he scores after hitting a two-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith stands at the plate during the second inning in Game 3 of a baseball NL Division Series, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers are at the brink of elimination in the National League Division Series for the third consecutive season following a 6-5 loss to the San Diego Padres Tuesday night in San Diego.

The Dodgers allowed six runs in the second inning, cut the deficit to 6-5 on Teoscar Hernández‘s third-inning grand slam but then didn’t have another batter reach first until the eighth inning to trail the best-of-five series two games to one.

Game 4 will be played Wednesday, also at Petco Park. Game 5, if necessary, would be played Friday at Dodger Stadium.

Manny Machado began the six-run inning with a single. Jackson Merrill, the next batter, hit a ground ball that Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman backhanded, fell to his knees and then his throw hit Machado on the left shoulder.

The play was ruled a fielder’s choice and Freeman was charged with an error for allowing Machado to advance to third.

Xander Bogarts then hit a ground ball to shortstop Miguel Rojas. Merrill beat Rojas to second to avoid a force out and Bogarts beat Rojas’ throw to first as Machado scored on what was also ruled a fielder’s choice. David

Peralta doubled in Merrill and Bogarts to give the Padres a 3-1 lead.

Peralta advanced to third on Jake Cronenworth’s infield single and scored on Kyle Higashioka’s sacrifice fly. Fernando Tatis Jr. homered one out later to increase San Diego’s lead to 6-1.

Hernández’s one-out grand slam followed consecutive singles by Rojas, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.

The Dodgers did not have another runner reach base until Freeman’s two-out single in the eighth off Tanner Scott, the fourth of five Padre pitchers. Robert Suarez then relieved Scott and retired the final four batters, striking out two, for his second save of the postseason.

The 16 consecutive batters retired in a game immediately after giving up a grand slam was the most in MLB postseason history, according to OptaSTATS, a sports analytics firm.

San Diego also became the first team in the regular season or postseason to give up a grand slam, score in only one inning and not score after the second inning and win, also according to OptaSTATS.

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead on Betts’ first-inning home run.

King was the winning pitcher, improving to 2-0 in the postseason, after giving up five runs and five hits in five innings.

Dodger starter Walker Buehler (0-1) was charged with the loss, allowing six runs and seven hits in five innings.

The Dodgers lost to the Padres, three games to one, in a 2022 Division Series and three games to none to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 2023 Division Series. (CNS)