CHICAGO (AP) — Mason Miller's last two pitches to Seiya Suzuki in the seventh inning were clocked at 102.1 and 102.7 mph. Suzuki swung and missed at the last one for strike three.
It turns out Miller was only warming up.
The 6-foot-5 right-hander played a starring role in a dominant performance by San Diego's bullpen in a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, sending their NL Wild Card Series to a decisive third game.
Miller came in after Adrian Morejon pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings in relief of Dylan Cease. After fanning Suzuki, he reached 104.5 mph on a called third strike to Carson Kelly that was the fastest pitch in the postseason since Statcast started tracking in 2008.
“I mean that's my fastball. That's my normal, I guess,” Miller said. “That's a good feeling, throwing it by a guy.”
Miller just kept going. He struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong looking at a 90.5 mph slider for the final out of the seventh. He fanned Dansby Swanson and pinch-hitter Moisés Ballesteros in the eighth before departing after hitting Michael Busch with a slider.
“He throws 104 and throws a lot of sliders with that,” Crow-Armstrong said. "Changing speed like that and you’ve got 14 mph, 15 mph, sometimes 16, 17 off his best pitch, that’s always going to be tough. ... That’s why he’s here.”
The 27-year-old Miller rose to prominence with the Athletics after he was selected in the third round of the 2021 amateur draft. He made the AL All-Star team last year, finishing with 28 saves and 104 strikeouts in 65 innings.
He was acquired by San Diego in a July 31 trade, creating a formidable back of the bullpen for the Padres.
“It's fun,” Miller said. “It's beneficial for all of us that we're able to match up. ... Everybody's ability to go one-plus (innings) has been really helpful, too.”
Miller made his postseason debut in Game 1 on Tuesday, striking out the side in the seventh. The eight straight Ks tied the postseason record set by Josh Hader in 2022.
“I think you have your ideas on what something is, but until you go out there and play, that feeling's not something that can be replicated, for sure,” Miller said about his first postseason experience.
Robert Suarez replaced Miller with Busch on first. He retired Nico Hoerner on a liner to right, ending the inning.
Suarez allowed Kyle Tucker's one-out single in the ninth before Suzuki grounded into a game-ending double play.
“All these guys are really special with their arm talent, Morejon, Miller, Suarez, but the impressive thing is they have pitches,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “They’re pitching, and they’re not going to make a situation bigger than it is. That says a lot for them. It’s a separator.”
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