LOS ANGELES — All you needed to know about how enormously important Game 2 of this National League division series was for San Diego, how big of a must-win this 5-3 decision over Los Angeles was, came with two outs and one on in the bottom of the eighth inning. That’s when Padres Manager Bob Melvin decisively walked to the mound and waved for his closer, Josh Hader.
Melvin was asking Hader to obtain four outs to preserve the lead, the game and, most probably, the Padres’ season. This much had not been asked of Hader in more than a year.