What you need to know from the MLB playoffs: Mets win, Dodgers on the brink

Sean Manaea shined for the New York Mets on Tuesday with an eighth-inning pitch as New York was one win away from winning its series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The San Diego Padres took advantage of the Los Angeles Dodgers' defensive errors and their bullpen dominated for four innings, giving them a road win in the National League Championship Series.

There are four games scheduled for Wednesday and we'll look at the players we'll be keeping an eye on in each. But first let's go around the horn…

Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker hit solo homers to give the Mets an early lead, but the story of the night was a masterful performance from Sean Manaea, who allowed one run on three hits and two walks and as New York struck out six in seven innings won 7-2. The Mets can win the series over the Phillies with a win on Wednesday. It would be the Mets' first appearance in the NLCS since they won the pennant in 2015.

Create stock: Sean Manaea

Coming into this start, Manaea had never recorded a win in four career postseason appearances, including three starts. In fact, his team had lost each of those four games, including its start last week in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against Milwaukee. When he left the mound on Tuesday after allowing the first batter to reach the eighth, the crowd at Citi Field gave him a well-deserved standing ovation. The only run on Manaea's line scored after he left the game. The left-hander dominated the Phillies for most of the night, although he had no trouble in the sixth.

After pitching coach Jeremy Hefner walked the first two batters of the inning, momentarily losing control, he visited the mound. When Hefner left, Manaea joined. He got Bryce Harper to hit on three pitches and caught him swinging on a changeup on the first pitch, followed by two sweepers. Against Nick Castellanos, Manaea fielded a 0-2 changeup that was lined up to second base for an inning-ending double play. Manaea has used his changeup sparingly this season (11 percent), but he used the pitch perfectly in this important inning.

Inventory reduced: Phillies offense

The Phillies had a few chances early as Manaea hit batters in the second and third innings. But Philly didn't take advantage, flailing or making weak contact against Manaea's mix of sweepers and sinkers. In the third, Alec Bohm singled but was thrown out trying to advance to second, probably to get the lineup going. Philly scored seven runs in a win on Monday but looked flat in the other two games, perhaps out of rhythm after the long layoff last week.

Required reading

With a 6-5 win, the Padres pulled out a win in the National League Championship Series, took a big lead with a mishap-filled Dodgers defensive inning, and bit their fingernails to the cuticles when a grand slam Hit by Teoscar Hernández ended the lead at one run. However, starter Michael King calmed down and the Padres' bullpen was nearly unhittable, allowing only one runner over four innings.

Create stock: Padres bullpen

The Padres weren't exactly top picks at the trade deadline, but GM AJ Preller went all-in anyway because that's the only speed he knows. He bolstered an already strong bullpen with Jason Adam and Tanner Scott, both of whom are overqualified for the middle innings, and that was the point that paid off in Game 3. The Dodgers have had just one baserunner in the last six innings, with the Padres bullpen taking four of them. That was always the blueprint, and things are looking good from here.

Jeremiah Estrada was one of four relievers who held the Dodgers to one hit in the final four frames of the game. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Inventory reduced: Walker Buhler

His defense let him down, and then let him down again, so Buehler definitely deserved better. But he was one hit away from getting out of the inning with only moderate damage, and he decided to throw a fastball up the middle to Fernando Tatis Jr., who missed. It could have been the worst possible pitch at the worst time for the worst hitter, and it was the margin of victory. The defense gets disproportionate blame, but it was truly one of the most unfortunate executions of a pitch you've ever seen.

Required reading

On deck for Wednesday

Tigers guard. 3:08 p.m. ET, TBS

The series was tied 1-1
CLE Alex Cobb (2-1, 2.76 ERA) vs. DET (TBD)

Player to Watch: Alex Cobb

The Guardians traded two players, a hitter and a pitcher, at the deadline. The hitter had an OPS of .657 and the pitcher made just three starts. The team wasn't worried, however, as they didn't complete the trades for the regular season; It was all about the postseason. The batter was Lane Thomas, and he was already having his October moment. The pitcher was Cobb, and the Guardians are counting on him in Game 3. He was an All-Star last year, but this year he battled blisters in his return from a hip injury. Watch out for his splitter in the first innings – if it's sharp, that's a good sign.

Phillies at Mets. 5:08 p.m. ET, FS1, Fubo

The Mets lead 2-1
PHI Ranger Suarez (12-8, 3.46 ERA) vs. NYM Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75 ERA)
Keep streaming the MLB playoffs Fubo (try for free).

Player to Watch: Pete Alonso

Alonso has three hits in the last four games and all three hits have been home runs, two of which gave the Mets the lead. The first baseman has risen to the challenge for New York this postseason and there is reason to believe he has more left in the tank. This season, Alonso is 2-for-5 against Suarez with two doubles and four walks.

Yankees at the Royals. 7:08 p.m. ET, TBS

The series was tied 1-1
NYY Clarke Schmidt (5-5, 2.85 ERA) vs. KC Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 ERA)

Where Aaron Judge goes, the Yankees go, and New York desperately needs him to get started. (Photo: Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Player to Watch: Aaron Judge

Judge is 1-for-7 with two walks and four strikeouts in the first two games. Of course, it's a small sample size, but that's what the postseason is all about. The Yankees' offense revolves around Judge, and if he can get going, that's the spark plug they need against the Royals.

Dodgers at Padres. 9:08 p.m. ET, FS1, ​​Fubo

Padres lead 2-1
LAD (TBD) vs. SD Dylan Cease (14-11, 3.47 ERA)
Keep streaming the MLB playoffs Fubo (try for free).

Player to Watch: Johnny Wholestaff

If the Dodgers want to keep their season alive, they'll probably be able to use every available guy in a bullpen game. Manager Dave Roberts retained Walker Buehler to face the Padres for a third time, which seemed like an odd move in the modern game, but he did it with bullpen play in mind. All guns are on deck, the season is at stake.

(Top photo of the Dodgers in the dugout: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)