The ninth inning has been forgettable for the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series, while it has been quite memorable for the Milwaukee Brewers.

That one frame has the Brewers in position to wrap up the best-of-five series, with the Padres facing elimination, in Game 3 at San Diego on Tuesday.

The Brewers reached the NL Championship Series last season before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are one win away from returning.

"You're just trying to scrape to win every game," Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said Monday. "We've got a job to do, and the two emotional wins, the way we've had them, that's part of baseball. But it's time to move on and be ready. So all hands on deck starting (Tuesday)."

For San Diego, it's about figuring out how to win a single contest.

"Definitely a task, unfortunately down 2-0," Padres star third baseman Manny Machado said. "Not the ideal position you want to be in. But these boys, this group, we've been up against the wall all year. A lot of people didn't think we would be in this position to begin with, and here we are. We've overcome a lot as a group."

The Brewers registered consecutive one-run victories in Milwaukee. In the ninth inning of Game 1, with a runner on first, San Diego's Ty France hit a high drive to left field that struck a roof cable. Jackson Chourio caught the ball for the second out. The ball remained live after the ricochet under the stadium's ground rules.

In Game 2, the Padres asked All-Star closer Mason Miller to get six outs, something he hadn't attempted all season. He got just five. After a dominant eighth inning, Miller walked the bases loaded in the ninth. With two outs, Chourio hit a laser-like, game-winning two-run single up the middle.

Padres manager Craig Stammen said Monday that the times Miller struggles typically come when he is asked to work more than one inning.

"I think that's definitely something strategy-wise that we were very comfortable with going into the game but something going forward that we may have to adjust as the playoffs go," Stammen said.

Machado learned on Monday that the 1984 Padres were down 2-0 in the NLCS, then won three straight over the Chicago Cubs to reach the World Series.

"Listen, man, sports is a crazy game," Machado said. "A lot of crazy things could happen, especially this time of the year."

Right-handers Nick Pivetta of the Padres and Dustin May of the Brewers will start Game 3.

Pivetta, 33, started Game 2 of the NL wild-card series against the Cubs and gave up one run and three hits over 3 1/3 innings. He went 3-2 with a 2.86 ERA in eight regular-season starts this year.

Pivetta is 1-3 with an 8.76 ERA in five career starts against the Brewers. Christian Yelich is 7-for-18 (.389) with two homers and two doubles against Pivetta. Yelich will be playing in his 30th career postseason game on Tuesday but hasn't driven in a run in the playoffs since 2018, a span of 19 RBI-free appearances.

May, 29, was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline and went 2-2 with a 5.65 ERA in 10 starts with Milwaukee.

May dominated the Padres on June 15 while with the Cardinals, throwing a one-hit shutout and striking out nine with one walk in the only complete game of his career. He also pitched well vs. San Diego for the Brewers on Aug. 12, tossing seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision.

Overall, May is 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 16 regular-season appearances (13 starts) against San Diego. He threw a total of three scoreless innings in two postseason outings vs. the Padres while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2020 NLDS.

Counting the postseason, this will be May's 12th appearance (ninth start) in the raucous atmosphere at Petco Park.

"It's a really, really fun crowd to pitch in front of," May said. "They're very energetic. They get into it. They don't take any pitches off. It's a lot of fun to be a part of for sure."

Machado is 10-for-42 (.238) with two homers off May in the regular season and postseason combined, while Jackson Merrill is hitless in 10 at-bats.

--Field Level Media