The Padres thwart the Braves’ comeback and secure another date with the rival Dodgers in the NLDS

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

The Padres face the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers after defeating the Atlanta Braves in the wild card round.

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

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San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates as he scores in the second inning of game two in the Wild Card Round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)

Unlike the first game, it was Atlanta that took care of the scoring when Marcell Ozuna scored on a sacrifice fly to score Michael Harris II, who led off the game with a double. But in the second game, San Diego caused a stir.

Max Fried retired the first two batters of the inning, but a home run by Kyle Higashioka tied the game. That was the first of six straight 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 inning San Diego scored, but it worked out pretty well.

Jorge Soler hit a solo home run in the fifth and Harris blasted one over the center field wall for a two-run shot in the eighth, but Robert Suarez retired to get the save in the ninth and close the party in San start Diego. When the last album was finished, shouts of “Beat LA” rang out almost immediately.

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates after scoring a run in the second inning of game two in the Wild Card 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 in a doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday to decide their postseason fate and then fly west to face one of the hottest teams in baseball. Atlanta has been unlucky all year as they once again struggled with injuries (including another torn ACL to reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr.), and it appears it has finally caught up with them.

Not only do the Padres and Dodgers meet 13 times a year (it used to be almost 20 before MLB decided to let each team compete all season), but the Dodgers and Padres also have a recent October history.

The two teams faced each other in both the 2020 and 2022 NLDS. The Dodgers beat an up-and-coming San Diego team for the first time en route to their World Series victory, but two years ago San Diego won in four games.

If the regular season was any kind of foreshadowing, then that’s good news for San Diego as they won the season series 8-5.

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

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Game 1 is Saturday at 8:38 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium.

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