Following a stinging 3-2 loss, the Padres turn to ace Michael King in Game 2 to push the series back to San Diego tied.
The silence in the dugout after Saturday night’s 3-2 loss was heavy. a rare stumble for a team that had become accustomed to winning. The Padres. having outhit their opponents only to watch the scoreboard tilt the other way for the first time in two decades. now find themselves staring down a must-win scenario in the hostile confines of American Family Field.
They are handing the ball to Michael King. Five days after a commanding Wild Card performance where he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Cubs. King takes the mound for Sunday’s matinee. He is coming off a season where he defined the Padres’ rotation. posting a 12-10 record with a 3.21 ERA. a 1.18 WHIP. and team-leading marks of 185 innings pitched and 159 strikeouts. Across five career playoff starts. he remains undefeated at 3-0. putting him in company with Yu Darvish and Sterling Hitchcock for the most postseason wins in franchise history.
Manager Craig Stammen has watched King grow into the staff’s identity. noting his reliability in making every start and his fierce competitiveness. “He believes in himself, and that’s what you want from every pitcher,” Stammen said. “You want them to want the ball. keep it. stay in the game and not let the manager take it from you.”.
King’s recent form is historical. His Game 1 showing against the Cubs made him the sixth pitcher since 2010 to keep a no-hitter intact for at least 6 1/3 innings. marking the deepest individual no-hit bid in the postseason since Aníbal Sánchez’s 7 2/3 frames in the 2019 NLCS. On May 13. in his lone appearance against the Brewers this year. King allowed just one run on six hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings.
The challenge this time is the atmosphere. Saturday’s sellout crowd of 42. 843 proved the Brewers have a distinct home-field advantage. and King knows the rhythm of the game will be tested by the stadium’s intensity. He acknowledges the Brewers will look to speed up his pace and force a style of play that favors the home team. His focus is on forcing the game to slow down. keeping the defense in sync. and neutralizing the crowd’s energy.
“It’s a very fun thing when you make a pitch in a big moment and that crowd shuts down and the dugout goes nuts,” King said. “I don’t want to say it equally gives me that same amount of adrenaline as Petco Park, but definitely you feel that energy.”
While King maintained a 2.74 ERA at home this season compared to a 3.64 ERA on the road. the stakes of Sunday’s outing represent a shift in his postseason experience. It will be his first playoff start in an opposing ballpark. Manny Machado remains focused on the task of resetting the momentum before the series shifts to San Diego. “We left it all out there; tomorrow’s a different day,” Machado said. “We’ve got King and we’re confident in him. Go out there and try to get back to San Diego 1-1.”.
Padres Brewers Michael King NLDS MLB playoffs baseball