Padres delay Braves' return, earn another NLDS date with rival Dodgers

For the third time in five years, the San Diego Padres are in the National League Division Series and they will face an all-too-familiar foe.

The Padres will face their NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, after sweeping the Atlanta Braves in the wild card round.

San Diego earned a 5-4 win Wednesday night against the Braves, whose comeback was too little, too late.

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San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates his score during the second inning of Game 2 of the Wildcard Round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)

Unlike the first game, it was Atlanta who started the scoring, as Marcell Ozuna got a sacrifice fly to score Michael Harris II, who led the game with a double. But San Diego lit up the scoreboard in the second half.

Max Fried retired the first two batters of the inning, but a Kyle Higashioka homer tied the game. It was the first of six consecutive two-out hits, the last two being a two-run double by Manny Machado and a two-run triple by Jackson Merrill.

It was the only run San Diego scored, but it went very well.

Jorge Soler hit a solo homer in the fifth and Harris hit one over the center field wall for a two-run shot in the eighth, but Robert Suarez struck out the side to get the save in the ninth and start the party in San. Diego. During the final takedown, chants of “Beat LA” rang out almost immediately.

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates after a run during the second inning in Game 2 of the Wildcard Round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)

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Perhaps fatigue has struck the Braves, who had to play a doubleheader Monday in Atlanta to decide their playoff fate, then fly west to face one of the hottest teams in the baseball. It's been unlucky for Atlanta all year long, once again battling injuries (including another torn ACL for reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr.), and it seems like it finally caught up with them.

Not only do the Padres and Dodgers play each other 13 times a year (it was nearly 20 before MLB decided to have all teams play each other throughout the season), but the Dodgers and Padres have a recent history in October.

The two teams faced off in the 2020 and 2022 NLDS. The Dodgers swept a promising San Diego team for the first time en route to their World Series victory, but San Diego won in four two years ago.

If the regular season was any sort of foreshadowing, it's good news for San Diego, which won the season series 8-5.

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (3) celebrates after a two-RBI triple during the second inning of Game 2 of the Wildcard Round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)

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The first game is Saturday at 8:38 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium.

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