The San Diego Padres have completed one of the biggest upsets in postseason as they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 in Game r4 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park.
Jake Cronenworth broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning that turned out to be the series-clinching hit to send San Diego to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 1998.
Josh Hader closed the door in the ninth inning, striking out Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman as the Padres won the final three games of the series.
"Our fans have been waiting so long and I used to be that fan that was waiting", said San Diego native Joe Musgrove, who made the start. "It feels good to be on this side of the ball, i'll tell you that, but these fans deserve to celebrate tonight.
"I know the job's not done, we've got a lot of baseball ahead of us still, but this is something that needs to be celebrated", he added. "Those guys handed it to us all year long and when it came down to it and we needed to win ballgames we found a way to do it."
Trailing 3-0, the Padres scored five runs in the seventh and held on to beat a Dodgers team that won 111 games and took 14 of 19 against them in the regular season.
"It's about to be a party tonight", said Musgrove, who grew up a Padres fan.
"I mean, since I was a little kid, we've been getting beat up by the Dodgers. But when it comes down to it and the games matter, this team stepped up, from top to bottom."
San Diego lost nine straight series to Los Angeles before winning this Division Series and will face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.
"This is what the city's been waiting for for a long time", said Manny Machado.
It was a soul-crushing ending for the Dodgers after the best regular-season record in club history and manager Dave Roberts' prediction during spring training that they'd win the World Series.
"Shock factor, very high. Disappointment, very high. It's crushing", Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "Each guy gave everything they had all year long, and a tremendous season.
"The great thing about baseball is the unpredictability, and the thing about it is the same thing. Nothing I can say is going to make it feel any better. Obviously we didn't expect to be in this position."
Padres rally in seventh to eliminate Dodgers
Los Angeles broke through with two runs in the top of the third. Betts walked and Turner laced a single to put runners at the corners before Freeman drove them both in with a double down the right-field line.
Will Smith added a sacrifice fly in the seventh off of Steven Wilson to extend the Dodgers lead. Tim Hill, who picked up the win, got through the rest of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jurickson Profar drew a leadoff walk against Tommy Kahnle, reached third on a single by Trent Grisham and scored when Austin Nola's infield single glanced off Freeman's glove at first base.
Yency Almonte, who took the loss, relieved Kahnle and gave up an RBI double by Kim Sa-Heong inside the third base line. Juan Soto singled to tie the game.
With two outs and the crowd on its feet, Cronenworth singled to center off local product Alex Vesia to give the Padres the lead, raising his arms in celebration as he rounded first and then punching the air with his right fist as he pulled into second base on the throw home.