Machado powers the Padres past the Dodgers 5-1, snapping Los Angeles' 11-game home winning streak
San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, right, hits a two-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, and catcher Will Smith watch during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
LOS ANGELES — Manny Machado homered and drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Wednesday night to take sole possession of the top spot in the National League wild-card standings.
The loss snapped the NL West champions' 11-game home winning streak and kept the Dodgers (97-61) from clinching at least the No. 2 seed in the National League and a first-round playoff bye. To secure that, they still need one win or an Atlanta loss.
The Padres (88-70) were prevented from clinching their franchise-record third consecutive playoff berth when Arizona beat Colorado 5-3. But they need just one win or a Diamondbacks loss to punch their ticket to the postseason.
San Diego leads Chicago (87-71) and Philadelphia (87-71) by one game for the first National League wild card, a spot that would bring home-field advantage throughout a best-of-three Wild Card Series.
In his return from the injured list, Shohei Ohtani went 1 for 4 with a single, a walk and two strikeouts for Los Angeles. He went down swinging with the bases loaded to end the fourth inning. His long drive to center field was caught near the wall leading off the eighth.
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9) retired nine of his first 10 batters before the Padres got to him in the fourth and fifth innings of his final regular-season start.
San Diego grabbed a 2-0 lead on Machado's 409-foot homer to center that scored Dustin Harris, who was hit by a pitch from Yamamoto leading off the fourth.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani heads to first for a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
The Dodgers closed to 2-1 in the bottom half when Teoscar Hernández scored on Tommy Edman's sacrifice fly on the first pitch from reliever David Morgan.
The Padres extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth on Yamamoto's second career throwing error and Machado's shallow sacrifice fly.
Freddy Fermin's RBI single in the ninth scored Samad Taylor, who walked and stole second and third on consecutive pitches by reliever Blake Treinen, making it 5-1.
Bradgley Rodriguez (4-3) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief.
San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., right, scores on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith makes a late tag during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
San Diego starter Robbie Ray allowed one run and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. The left-hander needed 70 pitches to get through the first three innings.
Up next
Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 3.30 ERA) starts Thursday in the series finale against RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 3.46).
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