yahoo
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Manny Machado launched a three-run home run, and the San Diego Padres defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-7 on Saturday to lock up the No. 4 seed in the National League playoffs.
San Diego will host all games of a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the fifth-seeded Chicago Cubs, beginning Tuesday. The victor will advance to face the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers in a best-of-five Division Series. Last season, the Cubs eliminated the Padres 2-1 in the wild-card round in Chicago.
Xander Bogaerts also homered for the Padres (90-71), who secured their franchise-record third consecutive 90-win season and seventh in team history. They clinched their club-best third straight postseason berth with a 4-2 victory Thursday night at the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Diamondbacks saw their six-game winning streak snapped but remain in contention for the NL's third wild-card spot. They trail Philadelphia by one game entering Sunday's season finales and own the tiebreaker. The Phillies lost their fourth straight game, 12-1 to AL East champion Tampa Bay.
Arizona's Gabriel Moreno hit an RBI single and went 1 for 3 with a walk to keep his average at .311, just ahead of injured Phillies infielder Luis Arraez (.310) in the race for the NL batting title. Moreno's spot in the order came up after Mason Miller loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, but the Diamondbacks sent pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo to the plate and he struck out. Miller allowed three runs.
Machado hit a 1-1 pitch from Jose Cabrera (0-4) into the home run porch in the right-field corner for a 6-4 lead in the fourth. That gave Machado his eighth career 30-homer season, tying Arizona's Nolan Arenado and Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber for the most among active players. It was his fourth 30-homer season with San Diego, tying Adrian Gonzalez for the most in team history.
The Diamondbacks went ahead 4-3 in the top of the fourth on James McCann's two-run homer to straightaway center off Walker Buehler. Arizona led 2-1 in the third before the Padres went in front on Ty France's RBI groundout and Gavin Sheets' RBI double that center fielder Tim Tawa lost in the lights and twilight sky. Bogaerts hit a solo homer in the two-run fifth, and Jake Cronenworth added a two-run single in the sixth. Yuki Matsui (5-1) got the win in relief.
Key Analysis
San Diego's victory not only secures a crucial home-field advantage for the wild-card round but also underscores the team's consistent excellence, with a franchise-record third straight 90-win campaign. Machado's milestone homer ties him with some of the game's premier power hitters, highlighting his pivotal role in the Padres' success. Meanwhile, Arizona's loss stings but leaves them on the cusp of a playoff berth, with their fate hinging on the final day of the regular season. The Diamondbacks will send Michael Soroka (9-5, 3.31 ERA) to the mound for Sunday's finale, while the Padres have yet to name a starter.
Originally reported by yahoo.