Padres top Cardinals in a decisive Game 3
SAN DIEGO — Craig Stammen and eight fellow relievers combined on a four-hitter in a brilliant, record-setting effort that sent the San Diego Padres over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 Friday night in the deciding Game 3 of their NL wild- card series.
The Padres won a postseason series for the first time in 22 years and advanced to face the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the division series starting Tuesday in Arlington.
The nine pitchers marked the most used in a nine-inning shutout in any big league game since 1901.
Trevor Rosenthal, who started his career with the Cardinals, struck out the side in the ninth and the Padres began to celebrate in empty Petco Park.
It’s the first postseason series win for the Padres since they beat the Atlanta Braves in the 1998 NLCS and only the second time they’ve won a playoff game at Petco Park, which opened in 2004.
Fernando Tatis Jr., who homered twice and drove in five runs in Thursday night’s wild 11-9 victory, doubled into the left-field corner off losing pitcher Jack Flaherty with one out in the fifth and scored on Eric Hosmer’s two- out double to right- center.
The Padres added on against reliever Alex Reyes in the seventh, on a bases-loaded walk to Hosmer and Manny Machado’s fielder’s choice and an error on third baseman Tommy Edman.
Rookie Jake Cronenworth homered in the eighth.
The 36-year- old Stammen, who hadn’t started since 2010 with the Washington Nationals, pitched a perfect first inning and made way for Tim Hill with one on and two out in the second. Hill retired Matt Carpenter, got the first two outs of the third and then handed off to Pierce Johnson. Johnson loaded the bases on a single and a walk but struck out rookie cleanup hitter Dylan Carlson.
Rookie Adrian Morejon tossed a perfect fourth and struck out two to open the fifth before Kolten Wong singled and San Diegan Tommy Edman reached on Tatis Jr.’s throwing error from shortstop.
Austin Adams came on and struck out Paul Goldschmidt, who hit a three-run homer in St. Louis’ 7-4 win in Game 1. Adams wound up with the win.
St. Louis had another scoring chance in the sixth when Yadier Molina hit a one- out double off rookie Luis Patino and took third on Paul DeJong’s grounder. Patino got Dexter Fowler to fly out to the warning track in right- center to end it.
Emilio Pagan threw a perfect seventh and Drew Pomeranz walked one in the eighth.
The bullpen had been one of the Padres’ strengths coming into the season but lost several members to injuries, including closer Kirby Yates, who led the majors with 41 saves last year.
The loss ended a season that saw the Cardinals shut down by a virus outbreak in the early going. Manager Mike Shildt’s team earned a playoff spot by last Sunday by winning on the final day of the regular season.
MARLINS 2, CUBS 0
Garrett Cooper homered against Yu Darvish in a two-run seventh, hardthrowing rookie Sixto Sanchez dominated for five innings and visiting Miami won its first playoff series in 17 years, beating Chicago to complete a two- game wild card series sweep.
Miami will face Atlanta in the NLDS starting Tuesday in Houston.
Miami, second in the NL East, lost 105 games in 2019 and became the second team to reach the playoffs after a 100-loss season.
Chicago, the NL Central champion, went 3 for 27 (.111) with runners on base in the series. Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo combined to go 0 for 12 Friday and finished the series 1 for 24.
Winner Brad Boxberger threw 11⁄ innings. Richard
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Bleier got two outs in the seventh and Yimi Garcia worked the eighth.
Former Cubs pitcher Brandon Kintzler gave up a leadoff double to Jason Heyward in the ninth. But he struck out the next three batters.