The San Diego Padres have advanced to the National League Division Series for the third time in five years, setting up a showdown with their familiar opponent, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After a sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the wild card round, the Padres secured a 5-4 victory on Wednesday night, with Atlanta’s comeback falling short.
Unlike the first game, it was Atlanta who scored first, with Marcell Ozuna hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Michael Harris II. San Diego responded with an explosive second inning.
Max Fried retired the first two batters, but a Kyle Higashioka homer tied the game. This sparked a string of six consecutive two-out hits, highlighted by a two-run double from Manny Machado and a two-run triple from Jackson Merrill.
Despite only scoring in one inning, San Diego’s performance was enough to secure the win.
Jorge Soler and Harris added homers for Atlanta, but Robert Suarez closed out the game in the ninth inning to seal the victory and start the celebration in San Diego.
Following the win, chants of “Beat LA” filled the air, setting the stage for the upcoming series.
Game 1 of the series will take place on Saturday at 8:38 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates as he scores during the second inning of game two in the Wildcard round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)
ASTROS STAR POSTS CRYPTIC 3-WORD COMMENT AFTER POSSIBLE LAST GAME WITH HOUSTON
Perhaps fatigue played a role for the Braves, who had a doubleheader on Monday followed by a cross-country trip to face one of the hottest teams in baseball. Atlanta faced challenges throughout the season, including injuries, which ultimately impacted their postseason run.
The Padres and Dodgers have a history of facing each other, meeting in the 2020 and 2022 NLDS. The Dodgers swept the Padres in 2020, but San Diego emerged victorious in four games two years later.
In the regular season, the Padres had the upper hand, winning the series against the Dodgers 8-5.
San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates after a run during the second inning of game two in the Wildcard round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
