Game 1 was as close as a 3-2 score suggests. William Contreras broke the tie with a homer in the 7th. In the 9th, France hit what looked like a go-ahead homer, and the roof turned it into an out. San Diego lost on a ball that would have been a homer anywhere without a roof over it. Milwaukee took the win anyway and kept its 5-game run going.
The schedule helped San Diego. Sweeping the Cubs 2-0 in the Wild Card round meant the Padres didn't burn a 3rd starter, so King starts this game on full rest instead of someone further down the rotation. Milwaukee's run came in two parts. The Brewers swept the Cardinals 3-0 to close the regular season, sat during the Wild Card round and then took Game 1. They're rested and they're home. The risk is that they've barely faced live pitching in a week, and Game 1 showed that a little.
Milwaukee's injured list is mostly long-term pitching: Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, Brian Fitzpatrick and Angel Zerpa, plus Grant Anderson on a rehab track. None of that changes who catches the ball today. San Diego's absences show up in the batting order. With Andujar, Laureano and Rengifo out, the Padres need King to keep the game close, because their bats aren't built to win a slugfest in October.
If Milwaukee wins, it goes to San Diego up 2-0 with 2 chances to finish the series. If San Diego wins, the series comes home tied and King's start becomes the turning point. Either way, it's a matinee between 2 good right-handers in a series that has already turned on the roof.