Cronenworth's homer and King's relief work keep Padres alive in NLDS

The San Diego Padres staved off elimination in the National League Division Series on Tuesday night, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in Game 3 to cut Milwaukee's series lead to 2-1.

Jake Cronenworth supplied the decisive blow, hitting a go-ahead home run that put San Diego in front for good. The Padres had trailed for stretches of the game but answered each time Milwaukee pushed ahead, setting up Cronenworth's swing as the turning point.

San Diego's pitching staff leaned heavily on its bullpen to close out the win. Michael King, who started Game 1 of the series, was brought in on short rest to pitch the final two innings and protect the one-run margin. King retired the Brewers in order through the bulk of his outing, closing the door on a Milwaukee lineup that had threatened to finish the series in three games.

The win means the Padres will host Game 4, with the series now guaranteed to return to San Diego regardless of the outcome. Milwaukee, which finished the regular season with the best record in the National League, will look to regroup after seeing a chance to close out the series at home slip away.

San Diego's ability to mix a late-inning power surge with unconventional bullpen usage, using a starter in relief, reflects the increasingly aggressive approach teams take in elimination games during the postseason. Both clubs will turn to their pitching staffs again as the series shifts back to Petco Park.