MILWAUKEE (AP) — Mason Miller’s emergence as the best closer in the major leagues helped get San Diego into the playoffs.
asserted
emergence → get → playoffs
His uncharacteristic troubles in the ninth inning Sunday have the Padres on the brink of elimination.
asserted
troubles → have → elimination
The two-time All-Star closer struggled with control, loading the bases in the ninth inning against Milwaukee with the first three walks of his postseason career as he tried to complete a six-out save.
asserted
he → struggle → save
Jackson Chourio followed with a walk-off, two-run single with two outs that dealt the Padres a 4-3 loss.
asserted
that → follow → loss
San Diego went home in a 2-0 NL Division Series deficit heading into Game 3 Tuesday.
asserted
Diego → go → Game
“I didn’t do my job today, so instead of being here with a win and a series tie, we’re in a hole,” Miller said.
asserted
Miller → do → hole
Miller’s unsuccessful attempt at his first six-out save since 2024 came one day after Adrian Morejon gave up a tiebreaking homer to William Contreras in the seventh inning of a 3-2 defeat.
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Morejon → come → defeat
“Two really good games that didn’t go our way,” first baseman Ty France said.
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France → go → ?
“Just go back home and play each game like it’s our last.”
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it → go → game
San Diego’s inability to protect two-run leads in each of these first two games is a notable turn of events for a team that could shorten games much of the season because of its deep corps of relief pitchers.
uncertain
that → protect → pitchers
The hard-throwing Miller led the bullpen brigade by collecting 38 saves and posting a 1.67 ERA while striking out 129 batters over 70 innings in the regular season.
asserted
Miller → throw → season
He threw 34 2/3 straight scoreless innings at one point in the season.
asserted
He → throw → season
He had an 0.79 ERA at the end of July before posting a 3.33 ERA from Aug. 1 through the end of the regular season.
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He → have → season
Even so, Miller’s presence has given the Padres a sense of security they can maintain any late-inning lead.
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they → give → lead
It didn’t happen Sunday.
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It → happen → ?
Miller retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts in the eighth inning and got the leadoff batter in the ninth with San Diego ahead 3-2.
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Diego → retire → ninth
That’s when the problems started.
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problems → ’ → ?
Christian Yelich walked on five pitches and stole second.
asserted
Yelich → walk → pitches
Sal Frelick walked on a 3-2 pitch.
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Frelick → walk → pitch
After Miller retired Andrew Vaughn on a fly to center, Gary Sánchez walked while taking six straight pitches.
asserted
Sánchez → retire → pitches
Chourio fell behind 1-2 in the count, fouled off Miller’s fasted pitch of the day at 103.5 mph, then took a low slider before lining a 101.3 mph offering just past past second baseman Jake Cronenworth’s attempt for a diving backhand stop and went into center field.
asserted
Chourio → fall → field
Although Miller threw 40 pitches — his most since 2023 — he said that didn’t impact him and that he had felt fine.
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he → throw → him
He topped 100 mph with 18 pitches.
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He → top → pitches
“It’s not the first save I’ve blown and it probably won’t be the last one I blow, either,” Miller said.
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Miller → ’ → ?
“It’s part of the job.
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It → ’ → job
Failure in my role is really hard to move past, I guess, when you look at it, because most of the time, when you fail, you lose.
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you → move → time
Other spots, you get another chance.
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you → get → chance
That’s part of it.
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That → ’ → it
I’m going to come back and be prepared to pitch Tuesday and do my best to help the team win.
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team → go → best
San Diego remains confident it came rebound,
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it → remain → ?
If the Padres do, Miller likely would play a major role.
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Miller → do → role
“He’s been unbelievable ever since he put on a Padre uniform,” pitcher Michael King said.
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King → put → uniform
“I know everybody in this locker room wants him with the ball in a big situation — and still does.”
asserted
everybody → know → situation
The Aporia
