Padres Defeat Braves in Wild Card Series

The San Diego Padres secured their place in the National League Division Series by defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-4 in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series, completing a sweep. A pivotal five-run second inning, highlighted by Kyle Higashioka's solo homer and key RBIs from Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill, set the tone for the Padres. Although the Braves rallied, scoring three runs including a two-run homer from Michael Harris II, they fell short as the game concluded with a pop fly out. Both starting pitchers, Max Fried for the Braves and Joe Musgrove for the Padres, exited early due to injuries. The Padres will face the top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers next, while the Braves end their season with an 89-75 record.