Kyle Higashioka’s solo home run started a five-run rally with two outs in the second inning Wednesday and the Padres held on to sweep the Braves with a 5-4 win in the Wild Card Series.
Manny Machado added a two-run double with the bases loaded and Jackson Merrill, a top contender for National League Rookie of the Year, followed with a two-run triple as the sellout crowd of 47,705 — the largest in Petco Park history — roared.
The Padres, who would love to win a World Series title in memory of late owner Peter Seidler, head up Interstate 5 to face Shohei Ohtani and the NL West rival and top-seeded Dodgers in a National League Division Series starting Saturday.
The Friars eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in a 2022 NLDS, months after Seidler said of L.A. – “They’re the dragon up the freeway that we’re trying to slay.”
After Wednesday’s win, Machado, on ESPN, said simply of again facing L.A. – “This is what everyone wanted.”
The crowd agreed. Robert Suarez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to spark a joyful celebration at Petco.
Nearly as soon as pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud’s foul pop on the first-base side settled into Higashioka’s mitt – he and Donovan Solano collided in their eagerness to end the game – the crowd started chanting “Beat L.A.!”
Joe Musgrove, an El Cajon native, had given them some cause for concern earlier, falling behind 1-0 after just three batters. Marcell Ozuna’s sacrifice fly brought in Michael Harris II, who doubled into the right-field corner on Musgrove’s first pitch and advanced on Ozzie Albies’ groundout.
Then, after tossing two slow curves to fall behind Matt Olson 2-1 with two outs in the fourth, Musgrove, who had lengthy stints on the injured list in 2024, drew a visit from pitching coach Ruben Niebla. Manager Mike Shildt and a trainer joined them, and Musgrove exited with an apparent injury.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to patch this thing up and get back out there before the postseason’s over,” he told 97.3 the Fan during the post-game celebration.
Fried, who had had a shaky first, loading the bases, left too, but after the second inning, due to taking a ball hit by Fernando Tatis Jr. off his left hip.
The difference? Musgrove left with a lead, thanks to battery mate Higashioka, who became the first Padres catcher to homer in consecutive playoff games.
After No. 9 hitter Higashioka, singles by NL batting champ Luis Arraez, Tatis and Jurickson Profar loaded the bases. Machado, who Fried struck out with the bases full in the first, brought in two with his double to left, and Merrill two more with a triple to center.
“I wanted it back,” Machado told ESPN of his second chance. “I wanted it to run it back and I got a good pitch. He came back with the same pitch and I made an adjustment … That was a huge inning for us.”
In addition, the Friars became the first team in MLB postseason history with six consecutive hits while hitting for the cycle in the same inning.
The Padres kept the Braves’ bats silent until Jorge Soler hit a solo homer in the fifth off eventual winner Bryan Hoeing. Harris had a two-run shot in the eighth off Jason Adam to make it a one-run game but Suarez, who had been shaky of late, returned to form for the save.
The Dodgers host the Padres at 5:38 p.m. Saturday for Game 1 of their NLDS; the Friars have yet to name a starter, but L.A. will send Jack Flaherty to the mound. The game will air on FS1.
