Padres Closer Admits to 'Cardinal Rule' Violation in Game 2 Loss
Mason Miller takes responsibility after giving up a walk-off hit to the Brewers.
San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller acknowledged breaking a fundamental principle of baseball in Sunday's Game 2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, admitting he "beat myself" in a crucial ninth-inning situation.
Miller entered the game with a lead but struggled, issuing three walks with two outs to load the bases. He then gave up a walk-off single to Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, allowing Milwaukee to secure a 2-0 series lead in the National League Division Series.
"The cardinal rule is you don’t beat yourself," Miller stated after the game. "I beat myself today. A base hit with nobody on doesn’t win them the game. A base hit after you walked the bases loaded does."
In the regular season, opponents hit just .135 against Miller in high-leverage situations, underscoring his typical effectiveness. However, his command faltered in the critical moments of Game 2.
The Padres now head back to San Diego facing a steep historical climb. Teams that have lost the first two games of the NLDS have gone on to win the series only 10 times in 93 instances, a success rate of approximately 11%. The last team to overcome such a deficit was the Yankees against Cleveland in the 2017 ALDS.
San Diego's strategy throughout the season relied heavily on its bullpen, a plan that has faltered in the opening games of this series. The team must now win Game 3 to avoid elimination.