NLDS moves to Game 3 with both games knotted up

As the National League Division Series barrels into Game 3, both matchups have delivered drama, intensity, and the kind of grit October baseball demands. The Phillies and Mets are locked in after a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw Bryson Stott turn his birthday into a night to remember, while the Padres and Dodgers traded blows in a heated rivalry that now shifts to San Diego, tied at one game each.

Phillies vs. Mets: Stott’s Birthday Magic

Bryson Stott probably hadn’t imagined what playing postseason baseball on his birthday would feel like, but Sunday night at Citizens Bank Park, he turned that thought into reality. With the Phillies trailing by a run in the eighth inning and staring down a possible 2-0 series deficit, Stott stepped to the plate with Bryce Harper on second and Nick Castellanos on first. Facing Edwin Díaz, one of the league’s top closers, Stott worked the count full before lacing a two-run triple down the right-field line, giving the Phillies a 7-6 lead that would hold up in walk-off fashion.

“Probably the top,” Stott said when asked where his 27th birthday ranks after delivering the clutch hit. “That was fun.”

Before Stott’s heroics, the game had swung wildly in both directions. The Mets had clawed back from an early deficit and then taken control with a solo shot from Brandon Nimmo in the seventh. But Philadelphia, known for its resilient offense, responded as Harper and Castellanos launched back-to-back home runs in the sixth to tie the game. The tension mounted until Stott, making the most of the moment, took the spotlight.

Castellanos, who scored from first on Stott’s triple, knew right away. “As soon as he hit it,” he said, recalling his dash to home plate. Harper, always one to hype his teammates, said with a grin, “He better score.”

The game was packed with moments like that, where the lead swung from one side to the other in the blink of an eye. But in the end, it was Stott’s timely hit, on his birthday no less, that has the Phillies heading into Game 3 tied 1-1 instead of down in the hole.

Dodgers vs. Padres: Rivalry Heats Up

Meanwhile, the Dodgers and Padres have been putting on their own kind of show, full of hard slides, jawing, and the kind of bad blood that makes for must-watch postseason baseball. Game 2 saw San Diego even the series with a resounding 10-2 win over Los Angeles, but it wasn’t just the scoreline that caught everyone’s attention.

Manny Machado and Jack Flaherty exchanged heated words on the field, while Jurickson Profar and Will Smith had yet another run-in at home plate. For these two teams, old wounds haven’t healed, and the Games feel personal.

“It’s good for baseball,” said Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas. “But the game has to be played on the field and we have to win two more.”

The series now heads to Petco Park, where the Padres will look to capitalize on home-field advantage. San Diego has already proven they can win big games in front of their crowd, having knocked the Dodgers out of last year’s postseason with two victories at home. Fernando Tatis Jr., who’s been on fire this October, is ready for more. “I can’t wait to be back home in front of our fans,” Tatis said after Game 2. “The Dodgers, they’re just not going to sit down.”

Game 3 will feature Dodgers ace Walker Buehler, hoping to shake off an underwhelming season and tap into his past playoff magic, while the Padres turn to Michael King, who’s been nearly untouchable lately.

Both series are now essentially a best-of-three, with the Dodgers and Padres both needing two more wins to secure a spot in the NL Championship Series, while the Phillies and Mets look for separation after two Games of wild swings.

As Game 3 approaches, October baseball is proving, once again, to be unpredictable and unforgettable.