SAN DIEGO — Kyle Higashioka's solo homer off Max Fried with two outs in the second inning started a five-run lead, and the San Diego Padres defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-4 in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card. Wednesday night series.
With the bases loaded, Manny Machado hit a two-run double, followed by National League Rookie of the Year favorite Jackson Merrill with a two-run triple, and the sold-out crowd of 47,705, the largest in Petco Park history, roared. .
Hoping to win a World Series title in memory of late owner Peter Seidler, the Padres will face Shohei Ohtani and their National League West rival, top-seeded Los Angeles, in the National League District Series starting Saturday night. They will play the Dodgers on Interstate 5. dodger stadium.
San Diego eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS.
Robert Suarez pitched a perfect ninth inning to get the save.
The moment pinch hitter Travis d'Arnaud's foul ball landed in Higashioka's mitt for the final out, the crowd began chanting, “Defeat LA!”
Fried and Padres starter Joe Musgrove left early with apparent injuries.
Fried left field after the second inning.
He faced two batters and was hit in the left hip by a ball from Fernando Tatis Jr.
Musgrove threw two slow curveballs to Matt Olson and was retired with two outs in the fourth inning.
After the Padres took a 5-1 lead into the second inning, Jorge Soler hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, and Michael Harris II hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
Freed, who suffered a loss, escaped a predicament with the bases loaded in the first inning.
After that, he allowed five runs with six consecutive hits starting with two outs in the second inning.
Dylan Lee started as the third man.
Musgrove threw two slow curveballs with two outs in the fourth inning and was trailing Olson 2-1, so pitching coach Ruben Niebla visited.
Padres manager Mike Shildt and athletic trainers joined in, as did Musgrove.
Musgrove, who grew up in the suburbs of El Cajon, was placed on the disabled list twice this season due to inflammation in his right elbow, missing a total of 63 games.
His second stint saw him miss 2¹/₂ months.
Higashioka became the first Padres catcher to hit home runs in consecutive playoff games.
He hit a solo shot in a 4-0 win Tuesday night.
He also hit a home run in the New York Yankees' Division Series game against Tampa Bay at Petco Park in the 2020 AL Playoff Bubble.
He was acquired along with right-hander Michael King on December 7 in the blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees.
Higashioka started the season as a reserve but eventually became a starter.
Musgrove was down 1-0 with just three batters.
Harris scored on Marcell Ozuna's sacrifice fly, doubled Musgrove's first pitch into the right field corner and advanced on Ozzie Albies' grounder.
After No. 9 batter Higashioka hit a home run, the bases were loaded with singles by National League batting champion Luis Arraez, Tatis, and Jurickson Profar. Machado added two runs with a double over left, and Merrill hit a triple over center.
Soler won the game against Brian Howing with a straight home run to center field in the fifth inning.
Harris hit a home run off Jason Adam.
