Machado drives in three as Padres beat Dodgers 5-1 to lead NL wild-card race

Manny Machado drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Los Angeles on September 23. The Associated Press reported that San Diego moved into sole possession of the National League's leading wild-card position. The Padres improved to 88-70, while the Dodgers fell to 97-61.

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Machado broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a two-run home run to center field after Dustin Harris was hit by a pitch. Los Angeles answered in the bottom half, when Tommy Edman's sacrifice fly brought home Teoscar Hernández. That left the Dodgers trailing by one run heading into the fifth.

San Diego immediately added two more runs. StatMuse's play-by-play records Ethan Salas and Fernando Tatis Jr. opening the fifth with singles before a throwing error by Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Harris's fielder's choice allowed Salas to score. Machado then delivered a sacrifice fly to bring in Tatis, extending the Padres' advantage to 4-1 without another hit.

The Padres relied on five relievers after starter Robbie Ray lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and one run. David Morgan, Yuki Matsui, Bradgley Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller combined for the remaining 5 2/3 innings without allowing another run. Rodriguez earned the victory after working two innings with three strikeouts, one hit and one walk.

Yamamoto took the loss despite completing six innings and allowing only two earned runs among the four scored against him. He surrendered five hits, walked one and struck out four. Los Angeles finished with 10 hits to San Diego's eight but left 12 runners on base. Hernández and Andy Pages each collected three hits, while Kyle Tucker added two.

The Padres added their final run in the ninth. Samad Taylor walked and stole second and third before Freddy Fermin singled him home. Miller then struck out Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani in the bottom half, walked Will Smith and retired Freddie Freeman on a lineout to end the game.