After winning Game 2 8-5, the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies have tied the National League Championship Series. Josh Hader of the Padres, who was pitching the ninth inning save, struck out the side to end any chance of a Phillies comeback. Hader thus contributed to MLB playoff history.
Hader has just struck out his ninth consecutive batter in the postseason. The most ever in a baseball playoff is that.
Hader making history. #CaptureTheMoment pic.twitter.com/UMu3AowSHL
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 20, 2022
When Hader initially came in San Diego, it was difficult to think that this situation would ever occur. Hadercouldn’t get an out much in his first few weeks with the Padres. He was bombed several times. He once pitched for San Diego and had a season ERA of more than six and over 25.
For a while, Padres manager Bob Melvin took over his closing duties. The All-Star closer seemed to benefit greatly from that. Hader started to resemble himself more in the last few weeks of the regular season. He is as tuned in as ever right now.
After the Phillies quickly took a 4-0 lead on Wednesday, the Padres were in big danger. With single home runs, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury shifted the momentum in their favour. San Diego then scored five runs in one inning before handing the ball to their bullpen.
The Padres’ bullpen has been the best in baseball throughout the postseason. Nick Martinez, Robert Suarez, and Luis Garcia have all excelled. Josh Hader, though, has the most commanding appearance. Now that the game can be shortened, Melvin can do so similarly to the 2016 Kansas City Royals.
Josh Hader creates absurd history in the second game of the National League Championship Series after shutting out the Phillies.
