The 2026 Major League Baseball postseason action on Tuesday featured two critical NLDS Game 3 matchups. Early on, the Atlanta Braves hosted the Los Angeles in a decisive game within the best-of-five series. After the Braves secured a win in Game 2, leveling the series at 1-1 and gaining home-field advantage, they started ace pitcher Chris Sale on full rest against the ‘ top starter, Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Later in the evening, the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres faced off at Petco Park. With the Brewers leading the series 2-0 following two intense games in Milwaukee, the Padres faced an elimination game, needing to win three straight against the league’s best team to advance to the NLCS.
The final results and schedule for the day were:
- 3, Braves 1 (Box score); lead series 2-1
- Brewers vs. Padres at 9:30 p.m. ET (GameTracker); Brewers lead series 2-0
Summarizing Tuesday’s NLDS Game 3 action, here are the winners and losers from each contest:
Winner: ‘ Power
The demonstrated why powerful hitting is such a game-changer in the postseason. Despite struggling without Shohei Ohtani at his best, the remain a formidable force, ranking second in slugging and tied for seventh in home runs during the regular season. This year, seven players hit at least 15 homers, with four surpassing 20, and nine reaching double digits.
In the game’s turning moment during the top of the fourth inning, Enrique Hernández, batting ninth, launched a changeup from Sale for a two-run homer, putting the ahead 2-0. This was Hernández’s 12th postseason home run as a , placing him third all-time for the franchise behind Max Muncy’s 18 and Corey Seager and Justin Turner’s 13. Just two batters later, Freddie Freeman added another homer, further solidifying the ’ lead. Meanwhile, Yamamoto pitched brilliantly, allowing only one run over seven innings with 10 strikeouts and minimal walks, giving the a strong chance of victory.
Loser: Chris Sale and the Braves
Game 3 began positively for Sale, who was fully rested after sitting out Game 2. He started impressively, striking out the side in both the first and second innings, becoming just the eighth pitcher in postseason history to achieve six strikeouts within the initial two innings. He even fired a 100 mph fastball to Ohtani in the third, narrowly escaping damage due to a spectacular catch by Mauricio Dubón.
However, in the fourth inning, Sale surrendered two critical home runs, including one by Freeman, marking only the second time in 2026 he allowed a left-handed batter to homer on a fastball. This rare occurrence handed the a 3-0 lead. While Sale’s overall performance was solid, yielding three runs over five innings wasn’t enough to counter Yamamoto’s dominant pitching, and the Braves fell short.
Fan Take: This series showcases the thrilling intensity of postseason baseball, where power hitting and dominant pitching collide under immense pressure. For fans, it’s a reminder that every pitch and swing can shift momentum, keeping the pursuit of championship glory exhilarating and unpredictable.
Source: www.cbssports.com
