Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
LOS ANGELES, CA — As all of Major League Baseball inches towards the regular season’s finish line, the Padres entered Dodger Stadium Wednesday afternoon with a chance to clinch a National League Wild Card on a win and help from other teams.
A 5-1 win over the NL West division champion Dodgers was the result hours later, evening up this week’s series in Los Angeles at one game apiece while also pushing San Diego closer to the postseason, with a magic number now at one.
The big blow for the Padres or in other words game defining swing came in the fourth inning from 2022 National League LatinoMVP Award winner Manny Machado who hit a first-pitch 409-foot two run home run over the center field wall off RHP Yoshinobo Yamamoto to mark his 29th of the season.
What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man. pic.twitter.com/NiunugyouT
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 24, 2026
“We needed it,” said manager Craig Stammen. “We hadn’t scored in a while, and it kind of broke the ice.”
With one more homer in his next four games, Machado, giving the Padres a 2-0 lead they would never give up, would have his 400th of his career and eighth career 30 or more HR season in MLB.
His teammate and 2020 National League LatinoMVP Fernando Tatis Jr., going 3-5 with a double and a run scored, also made a winning impact. On Los Angeles’ side regardless of the loss, Teoscar Hernández had a very productive night, finishing 3-4 while scoring the only Dodger run.
Teoscar Hernández could be getting hot at the plate at just the right time with MLB’s postseason quickly approaching and starting up this coming Tuesday, September 29th – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
San Diego starter Lefty Robbie Ray (13-8, 3.59 ERA) did not pitch deep or well enough to get the win but kept the Dodgers off balance and gave his club a chance to win this crucial game. He left after 3.1 innings on 84 pitches, 55 for strikes, and allowed one run on seven hits with two strikeouts.
Taking the loss was Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA), removed after six innings. He allowed four runs, two of which were earned on five hits and a walk. He threw 88 pitches, 63 for strikes, and had four strikeouts.
With losses by the Cubs (87-71) and the Phillies (87-71) and only four games remaining in the 2026 season, the Padres (88-70) are a half game up on those two clubs in the NL Wild Card standings.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to take care of our business,” said the seven-time All-Star Machado. “We’ve got to win big ballgames.”
Manny Machado believes this year’s Padres have all the tools to make a deep run into October – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Shohei Ohtani returned from the injured list after missing all but three games this month. He last played on September 7th when his lingering right biceps and left knee injuries finally sidelined him.
Slotted second in the lineup, Ohtani lined a hard line drive single to right field in his first at-bat but could not do anything else.
The Dodgers (97-61) loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth but could put only one run on the board. Shohei would then strike out with the bases still loaded to end the inning.
Shohei Ohtani returned to the Dodgers lineup Wednesday night after a brief IL stint due to inflammation in both his right biceps and left knee – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
That is as close as the Dodgers came to scoring runs as they left a dozen men on base.
Wednesday’s attendance of 48,201 put the Dodgers at 3,981,192 on the year for home games combined, so with Thursday’s series finale, they will once again have over four million fans coming through the gate.
The norm in LA. More revenue means more money to spend on the best players out there.
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