LOS ANGELES – Phone in hand, Jeremiah Estrada emerged from the visitors' dugout more than four hours before first pitch Tuesday, enjoying the unique perspective of Chavez Ravine and vowing to make better memories than the last time he stepped onto the mound at Dodger Stadium.

A Dodgers fan since childhood, Estrada was practically in his cathedral when Palm Desert High School asked him to start the CIF Southern Section Division II championship game in June 2017.

His Aztecs lost that game 2-1 (you can't miss the photos of a young Estrada from that day in the Desert Sun). He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the sixth round shortly afterward and hadn't thrown a pitch at Dodger Stadium since that fateful day.

The 25-year-old has documented every stadium he has visited this season, but…

“This is what meant the most to me,” Estrada said late Tuesday night. “As a kid, I always told myself I wanted to pitch at Dodger Stadium. Of course, the mindset back then was that I wanted to pitch for the Dodgers, but what's even better is that I'm (expletive) pitching for the (expletive) San Diego Padres and pitching against them.”

Not that he did much work in Tuesday's 4-2 win, the decisive postseason victory for his employer.

In fact, Estrada threw just one pitch, securing his team-best 15th hold, a 97-mile-per-hour four-seamer that La Jolla Country Day product Tommy Edman hit to shortstop, leaving runners on first and second base in a three-run game.

The lone out extended his scoreless streak to start September to 9 ⅓ innings. In that time, Estrada has allowed 10 strikeouts, two walks and just one hit, approaching the version of the reliever who set a major league record of 13 consecutive strikeouts in late May.

A subsequent bout of flu cost Estrada 15 pounds, and his effectiveness fluctuated from June (7.15 ERA) to July (1.46 ERA) to August (6.52 ERA) to another upswing in September, when he returned to Dodger Stadium with his new favorite team, which is in the midst of the postseason hunt.

“I was hoping to be there and do everything I can to help this team win,” Estrada said during the alcohol-fueled celebration on Tuesday.

He added: “I said I'm going to make this redemption for the guys. Shout out to the guys in Palm Desert. I love them as much as I love these guys. I'm happy to make my redemption on this field.”

“Found something”

Jake Cronenworth's The recovery for the 2024 season had hit a wall.

He hadn't hit a home run all month, hadn't even scored a run, and had a batting average of .186/.333/.203 entering September.

Cronenworth still tried hard, and on Tuesday, a few hours before the game, the breakthrough came.

At least that's how it felt after working hard for the last month of the season.

The reward: A two-run homer after a middle-middle changeup by Landon Knack in the second inning and a run-scoring double against the Dodgers rookie in the fourth inning.

“I worked my ass off to get something done,” Cronenworth said, “and I actually found something before the game today.”

When asked what that was, Cronenworth smiled broadly as a mixture of beer and champagne dripped down his cheek. Without another word, the 30-year-old veteran, the Dragon Slayer of the 2022 NLDS, disappeared back into the festivities taking place in the middle of Dodger Stadium's tiny guest clubhouse.

Knew it all along

As a pitching coach Ruben Niebla visited with Robert Suárez and the rest of the infielders as the Padres' embattled closer prepared for battle Miguel Rojas with runners on first and second base in a 4-2 game and Shohei Ohtani on deck, MichaelJackson had news for Fernando Tatis Jr.

Well, not really news.

In itself just an idea or hope.

After all, Merrill is 21 years old and full of optimism.

“I told Tati during the pitching break, 'Hey, triple play here,'” Merrill said late Tuesday night. “I just threw the ball out, threw it free, but (expletive) that's what happened.”

Tatis briefly paused his celebration on Tuesday to laugh at the fact that his young teammate's prediction had come true: “He did, he knew it. It was crazy. I just laughed because I know how crazy this game is. It was unbelievable.”

Remarkable

• His first professional season ended with an injury to his right (throwing) shoulder, SS Leodalis De Vries Headlines on the Padres prospects who will participate in the Arizona Fall League starting October 7. Other Padres prospects assigned to the Peoria Javelinas include C Ethan Salas1B Romeo SanabriaRHPs Ryan Bergert, Luis German, David Morgan And Gabe Mosser and LHP Harry Gustin.

Originally published: September 25, 2024 at 12:13 p.m.