Padres force Game 3 as Miller throws fastest postseason pitch

Mason Miller threw the fastest pitch in postseason history and helped push the San Diego Padres to a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card series on Wednesday at Wrigley Field, forcing a decisive Game 3. Miller struck out five consecutive batters in the seventh inning and threw a 104.5 mile-per-hour fastball that caught the lower outside corner to strike out Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, a pitch recorded as the hardest in postseason pitch-tracking history.

Miller worked 1 1/3 innings, retiring six of the seven batters he faced and leaving the plate appearance where he hit Michael Busch with a slider as the lone blemish. Combined with his appearance in Game 1, Miller has opened his Padres postseason work by striking out eight consecutive batters and has not allowed a hit or walk, aside from the hit by pitch. The streak ties the longest run of consecutive postseason strikeouts to begin a career, according to league tracking data.

Statcast registered Miller’s 104.5 mph heater, surpassing the previous postseason mark of 104.2 mph by Aroldis Chapman in 2010. Miller averaged more than 100 mph on his fastballs in the outing, repeatedly challenging...