The PetCo Park fans were in a frenzy but one player did not want that same premature celebration energy seeping down into the San Diego Padres' dugout. Sure, a close 6-5 Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers put the Padres one step closer to a World Series berth. San Diego has had their northern neighbors on the ropes before. Padres' star Fernando Tatis Jr. needs focus from everyone on finishing the job this fall.

So yes, Tatis Jr. admired the WWE atmosphere in the stands and gave a nod to how things might be in 24 hours. The All-Star also issued a stern warning to the Padres, one which aims to avoid an all-or-nothing Game 5 back in Los Angeles.

“It's amazing, just amazing,” Tatis Jr. said after Game 3. “It's a beautiful time to be here. What can I say? We still have a lot of work to do but one step at a time. Definately one step at a time…It would be beautiful (to clinch in front of the home fans). It's what we live for.”

Hall of Famer John Smoltz asked Tatis Jr. about his “secret sauce” to go 6-for-6 in opening at-bats this postseason.

“Just coming out of the gate with the foot on the pedal,” replied Tatis Jr. “We've got to get going since the first pitch of the game and we are showing up. That's the energy that we need and it's the energy we've been putting on (the field). It's the right way to start playoff games.”

Padres have Game 4 pitching advantage

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San Diego is sending Dyan Cease to the mound to start Game 4. Los Angeles will lean on the bullpen for nine crucial, possibly season-saving innings. Las Vegas has the Padres singing a fine tune while the Dodgers are the betting favorites to be commiserating along to Blink-182 songs.

The Padres got 16 straight outs after what seemed to be a momentum-swinging grand slam by LA's Teoscar Hernandez. A six-run second inning pushed San Diego into the driver's seat. Now it's about not looking back. Cease has to have a short memory in particular. The expected starter was chased after four innings and 82 pitches in Game 1, a 7-5 Padres loss.

Game 4's first pitch is scheduled for 6:08 PST.