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The San Diego Padres are moving on to the National League Division Series after completing a sweep of the Atlanta Braves with a 5-4 win on Wednesday.
The Padres will now get a matchup with the top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers.
All five of San Diego’s runs came in the bottom of the second inning, but the early lead meant the Braves had to play from behind for most of the game.
Kyle Higashioka hit his second home run of the series to get the Padres on the board, and Manny Machado followed the deep shot with a two-run RBI double. Jackson Merrill added more insurance with a two-run triple to make it a 5-1 lead.
The Braves homered in the top of the fifth and made things interesting in the eighth after Michael Harris II hit a two-run home run to make it 5-4, but the Padres ultimately kept Atlanta from getting any more runs across for the remainder of the eighth and Robert Suarez set the Braves down in order in the ninth.
Now having secured a spot in the NLDS, the Padres have an exciting matchup against their rivals. It’s safe to say fans, including the ones at Petco Park on Wednesday, are excited to see the two teams square off.
Sportsnet @Sportsnet
Petco Park erupts with “Beat LA” chants. 📣 pic.twitter.com/AL1HgKbDCq
MettaWorldCrazy @MettaWorldCrazy
That Padres Dodgers series is gonna be 🔥 https://t.co/OBG6mCaGfi
Heading into the division series, one thing to note is starting pitcher Joe Musgrove’s status. The star exited Wednesday’s game early with right elbow tightness, which isn’t exactly the best news heading into an important series. Whether he will have to miss time is unclear.
The last time the Padres reached the NLDS in 2022, they faced a top-seeded Dodgers team and beat them 3-1 to advance to the NLCS, where they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. As they take on their rivals this year, they’ll hope to send them packing once again.
