The Brewers won 3-2 in the NLDS opener on Saturday, but the roof cable became the story. A controversial play in the ninth inning cost the Padres a potential tying run, and they ended up losing the game. So MLB has made a call to keep things uncontroversial in Game 2.
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“The hotline message says ‘the roof will be OPEN’ for Sunday’s game against San Diego,” reported Front Office Sports.
In response to the controversial roof-cable play, MLB decided to open the roof for Game 2 to prevent similar incidents. An open roof eliminates the cable hazard, ensuring no future plays are decided by stadium architecture rather than player skill.
But the roof was never supposed to become part of Game 1’s biggest moment.
MLB controls postseason roof decisions, and light showers were expected around Saturday night’s game. The league told both teams the roof would remain closed, and both sides agreed before starting.
That closed-roof decision mattered in the ninth inning when Ty France stepped up with the Padres chasing a 1-run lead. Nobody expected the roof would suddenly become part of the game’s final moments.
That moment came in the ninth when France launched a towering ball toward left field.
With a runner on first, the Padres had a chance to change the game with one swing. Instead, the ball struck a roof cable and dropped into Jackson Chourio’s glove.
France hit it at 105.3 mph with a 49-degree launch angle, and it was going to be a homer if not for the cable.
FOX Sports reacted, “Oh. My. Goodness,” as the unusual play left everyone stunned.
The Padres challenged the ruling, hoping the ball had struck the cable over foul territory. Review confirmed the cable was above fair territory, meaning the ball stayed in play.
American Family Field rules state that balls hitting the roof over fair territory mean that the ball is still in play. A ball hitting the roof over foul territory is a foul ball. The ruling stood, giving the Brewers their second out with the Padres still trailing in the ninth. Yet both teams had been warned.
The umpire crew explained the roof rules during the pregame meeting.
Brewers third-base coach Matt Erickson recalled the incident, “I haven’t seen this in six years, but it’s definitely happening tonight.”
And it is rare, because the last time this happened with the Brewers was back in 2008.
During the NLDS game with the Phillies, Jayson Werth hit a pop-up in the 6th inning of Game 4; the ball hit the cable, and Brewers infielder Craig Counsell made a tumbling catch to get an out.
This time, even Chourio admitted, “I wasn’t all that sure of what the rule was,” even though he tracked the ball and caught it.
Padres manager Craig Stammen called it “a bad break” and said it looked like a possible home run.
The out ended the Padres’ last real chance, sealing Milwaukee’s 3-2 victory.
After France’s out, Jackson Merrill lined out to right, ending the game and sealing Milwaukee’s win. The Brewers now lead the NLDS 1-0, with Game 2 arriving under an open roof.
What do the Padres need to do to win Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers?
After the Brewers’ 3-2 win over the Padres, San Diego now has one clear way forward.
Michael King will take the mound in Game 2, giving the Padres the pitcher they trust most. King has been the driving force of their rotation throughout the season, and now he needs to set the tone again.
If he can keep the Brewers quiet early, the Padres will have a chance to even the series before heading home.
King has already shown the Padres what he can bring when the pressure rises. He went 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA, 185 innings and 159 strikeouts during the regular season. Five days ago, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Cubs in the Wild Card Series.
Now, with a loud Milwaukee crowd waiting for him, King needs another outing that keeps San Diego in control.
But while King can give the Padres a chance, their offense needs to finish what it starts.
The Padres went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in Game 1 and stranded 12 runners. The Padres loaded the bases in the seventh, but the inning ended without a run coming home. They also left runners on second and third in the fifth, showing how close they were to changing the game.
That is where Game 2 could be decided, because the Padres cannot afford another night of missed chances.
Luis Campusano’s RBI single in the second was their only hit with runners in scoring position in Game 1. They created enough opportunities to win, but the Brewers kept escaping when the Padres needed just another hit.
Now, the Padres need to turn those runners into runs and leave Milwaukee with the series tied.