Padres playoff berth/ Padres triple play Dodgers/ Padres postseason clinch/ Newslooks/ LOS ANGELES/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The San Diego Padres clinched a playoff berth with a dramatic game-ending triple play, securing a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manny Machado fielded the pivotal grounder to complete the Padres’ first triple play since 2010, marking the perfect end to a hard-fought game. The victory guarantees San Diego at least a National League wild card with five games left in the season.
Padres Clinch Playoff Spot with Dramatic Triple Play: Quick Looks
- The Padres turned a game-ending triple play to secure a 4-2 victory over the Dodgers.
- Manny Machado fielded the ball, stepped on third, and initiated the around-the-horn play.
- The win guarantees the Padres a National League wild card berth, their first since 2022.
- Padres’ last triple play was in 2010 against the Mets; this is the first to clinch a playoff spot.
- San Diego players celebrated with champagne, honoring late owner Peter Seidler.
- Jake Cronenworth hit a two-run homer and drove in another run in the fourth inning.
- Shohei Ohtani was left in the on-deck circle as the game-ending play unfolded.
- San Diego’s record since the All-Star break is the best in the majors at 41-17.
Padres Triple Play Shocks Dodgers, Clinches Playoffs
Deep Look:
In a thrilling Hollywood-style finish at Dodger Stadium, the San Diego Padres turned a game-ending triple play on Tuesday night to clinch a playoff spot with a 4-2 win over their NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the victory, the Padres secured at least a National League wild card berth, marking a triumphant return to the postseason after missing out last year.
The Padres stunned the Dodgers in the ninth inning, preserving their lead when Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas hit a sharp ground ball to Manny Machado at third base. Machado fielded the ball, stepped on the bag for one out, and swiftly fired to second, where the ball was relayed to first to complete the around-the-horn triple play. The Dodgers challenged the out call at second base, but after a video review, the ruling was upheld. The game-ending triple play marked San Diego’s first since June 2010 against the New York Mets, but this one came with playoff implications.
“We won it! We won it!” Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. shouted in celebration as the team erupted. The clubhouse party was on, with players dousing each other in champagne and beer, the culmination of a hard-fought victory over their biggest rivals.
“Couldn’t have scripted it any better, man,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt. “What a play by Manny, a phenomenal play.”
The Padres went into the ninth with a 4-1 lead, but after Kiké Hernández’s RBI single cut it to 4-2 and put runners on first and second, tension was high. Then came Rojas’ grounder, and Machado’s quick reactions sealed the win. The play unfolded as Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who had been waiting in the on-deck circle, watched helplessly as his team’s hopes were dashed.
“I’ve been dying to do it for a couple years now,” said Machado, standing bare-chested and soaked in champagne. He explained that he was prepared for a possible bunt from Rojas but reacted quickly when the ground ball came right at him.
Machado’s triple play ended a historic game for the Padres, one of only a few teams in MLB history to turn a triple play while clinching a playoff spot. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only other teams to do so were the 2020 Milwaukee Brewers, and the Chicago Cubs in both 1910 and 1907. San Diego’s was the first of those to end a game.
The Padres’ offense was led by Jake Cronenworth, who hit a two-run homer in the early innings and added an RBI single in the fourth to extend the Padres’ lead. Xander Bogaerts also contributed an RBI in the fourth, giving the Padres enough cushion to withstand the Dodgers’ late push.
San Diego’s victory puts them two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West standings, with two games remaining in the series at Dodger Stadium. However, the Padres have already secured the season series tiebreaker with an 8-3 record against Los Angeles this year.
“It’s a beautiful, wonderful start,” Shildt said. “You’ve got to get in the playoffs to win it all. It’s just about taking care of business from here on out.”
The Padres’ surge to the playoffs has been fueled by a remarkable second half of the season. Since the All-Star break, they have compiled the best record in Major League Baseball at 41-17, a run of success that has them eyeing a deep postseason push. The team’s 91-66 record is its best since the 1998 squad finished 98-64 before advancing to the World Series.
Machado and his teammates were particularly motivated to make this postseason run in honor of the late Padres owner Peter Seidler, who passed away last year. Seidler, who had strong familial ties to the Dodgers, was instrumental in building this Padres team and instilling the belief that San Diego could compete with baseball’s biggest franchises.
“He’s been with us all year,” Machado said. “He’s shining upon us right now, smiling down, enjoying this moment, enjoying this victory with us, enjoying this celebration.”
After the final out, the Padres returned to the field in the now-empty Dodger Stadium and chanted “Manny! Manny!” while taking photos, basking in the moment of victory.
With their playoff berth secured, the Padres are now looking to make a run at their first World Series title in franchise history. They last reached the World Series in 1998 but have never hoisted the championship trophy. This season, the Padres believe they have the talent and momentum to change that, honoring Seidler’s legacy along the way.
