SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — It's the day Padres fans have been dreaming of — a chance to clinch a trip to the National League Championship Series and do it against their Southern California rival: The Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Friar faithful will be flocking to downtown San Diego to enjoy the game day atmosphere. Those actually going to the game at Petco Park told ABC 10News the postseason experience is unlike anything else.
Some might say it's hard to find the right words to fit that feeling. For Padres fans, it only takes one.
“Electric," said Abby Ertz. "Absolutely electric.”
“Electric. That’s the best way to describe it," said Brian Uribe. "It’s electric every time I come.”
Uribe's still charged up from game three, when the Padres beat the Dodgers 6-5 to take a 2-1 lead in the NLDS. Uribe and his father traveled all the way from Sacramento for the homestand.
“This guy blew out his knee last night trying to jump around with everyone," Uribe said, pointing to his dad.
“How is it today? Good?” ABC 10News asked.
“Oh no," his dad said.
Uribe was also here in 2022 for another Padres-Dodgers NLDS Game 4 with a chance to clinch the series in San Diego.
“The guy next to me was hilarious," Uribe said. "He was crying because we were down, I think, until the 7th inning. He was like, ‘Man, you came all the way from Sacramento. We’re going to lose.’ Then the 7th inning came and I couldn’t even hear what he was telling me afterwards. It was a crazy experience.”
Ertz got a taste of that in the Padres first game this postseason.
“That’s why we’re going back tonight," Ertz said. "I want that feeling again. It’s sometime that you just can’t imagine unless you’re there.”
Carmen and Albert Gurrola have never been there — not for the playoffs at least.
Now they will thanks to a surprise from their son.
“I had to go pick up something at this address and it was tickets to this game," Carmen said. "We didn’t know about it. Amazing.”
Carmen and Albert are ready to "Beat LA."
“I told my kids, I don’t care if the Padres lose all their games. As long as they Beat LA," Albert said.
Uribe is ready to do whatever it takes.
“I’m wearing my superstitious draws right now that I have to wear for every game so we can win," he said.
Well, he can't throw them in the laundry now because fans aren't ready to wash that postseason feeling away.
In that 2022 NLDS, the Padres dropped the first game in LA by two runs, then went on to win the next three games to secure a series win at home.
Uribe and others are hoping history repeats itself in 2024.
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