Ex-Yankee Kyle Higashioka propels Padres past Braves and into NLDS
SAN DIEGO — Kyle Higashioka’s solo homer started a five-run rally against Max Fried with two outs in the second inning, and the San Diego Padres held on to sweep the Atlanta Braves with a 5-4 win in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night.Manny Machado added a two-run double with the bases loaded and Jackson Merrill, a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, followed with a two-run triple as the sellout crowd of 47,705 — the largest in Petco Park history — roared.The Padres, who would love to win a World Series title in memory of late owner Peter Seidler, head up Interstate 5 to face Shohei Ohtani and the NL West rival and top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers in a National League Division Series beginning Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium.San Diego eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in a 2022 NLDS.Robert Suarez pitched a perfect ninth for the save.As soon as pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud’s foul pop settled into Higashioka’s mitt for the final out, the crowd started chanting “Beat L.A.!”Fried and Padres starter Joe Musgrove exited early with apparent injuries.
Fried left after the second inning.He was hit on the left hip by a ball off the bat of Fernando Tatis Jr.
two batters into his outing.Musgrove left with two outs in the fourth after throwing two slow curveballs to Matt Olson.After the Padres took a 5-1 lead in the second, Jorge Soler hit a solo homer in the fifth and Michael Harris II had a two-run shot in the eighth.Fried, who took the loss, got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first.
He then allowed five runs on six straight hits with two outs in the second.Dylan Lee took over to start the third.Musgrove threw two slow curves to fall behind Olson 2-1 with two outs in the fourth and was visited by pitching coach Ruben Niebla.
Padres manager Mike Shildt and an athletic trainer joined them, and Musgrove came out.Musgrove, who grew up in suburban El Cajon, had two stints on the injured list with right elbow inflammation this season, co...