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Tag: Jurickson Profar

  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Atlanta is back over .500 (at home) with 4-1 win over Seattle Mariners

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    Chris Sale (above) started Friday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park. Sale (5-4 overall before the game) was back to his old self early on. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The Atlanta Braves opened the three-game series with the Seattle Mariners with a 4-1 victory on Friday night.

    The eighth inning told the story tonight as Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Drake Baldwin each drove in runs to give Atlanta a lead they would not relinquish. With the score 1-1 to start the eighth, the Braves got a double from Jurickson Profar to lead off the inning. Olson’s single drove him in, and Albies triple drove in Olson then Baldwin helped bring Albies home.

    Raisel Iglesisas came on in the ninth inning and had a 1-2-3 inning to get the save and secure the victory. Other than a deep fly ball to center from Jorge Polanco, there was little threat from Seattle.

    The Braves were back at Truist Park following a long and unsuccessful road trip. Atlanta began a series against the Seattle Mariners (The Braves are 11-14 against the Mariners all-time) with a 33-33 record in their home park. Well below .500 for the season and out of the playoff picture, establishing a winning environment at Truist Park, along with the strong play of the team’s young talent, including Baldwin and Hurston Waldrep, can give the fanbase something to look forward to in October and beyond.

    There were immediately opportunities to get off to a strong start in the first home game of the last month of the season. Atlanta only managed to score one run despite having the bases loaded in the top of the first inning. With two runners on base and two outs, Michael Harris, once the hottest player in the National League, struck out on a breaking pitch from Seattle starter Logan Gilbert to end the inning.

    Harris came into the game tied for the team lead in RBI with Olson with 77. His 17 home runs was third on the team behind Olson (21) and Marcell Ozuna (20).

    Newcomer to the Atlanta baseball scene, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, was at the plate in the third inning with Albies on third base and two outs. Kim, who played well during the series in Chicago against the Cubs, popped out to Seattle shortstop Leo Rivas to end the third inning.

    Chris Sale was back on the mound for the Braves. Sale made his first start in months during the recent road trip, and he was sharp in his return to Truist Park. Through the first four innings of the game, Sale had only given up three hits and no runs. In the fifth inning, Sale struck out the side: Dominic Canzone, Leo Rivas, and Luke Raley.

    Sale pitched 6.2 innings and thoroughly shut down the Mariners lineup during his time on the mound. Reliever Dylan Lee came on in relief of Sale and immediately gave up a single to tied the game at one.

    After the game Sale thanked the Braves staff and his teammates for supporting him on his journey back from the rib injury too pitching the way he did tonight.

    “I try to be the same guy every day,” Sale said. “It feels good.”

    Asked if he was surprised Sale is already pitching at this level, Braves manager Brian Snitker said he wasn’t.

    “I don’t think anything he does surprises me,” Snitker said of Sale. “I just want to see him progress.”

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Long road trip ends in Wrigley Field this week

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    Atklanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (above) against the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park on July 21, 2025, Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

    The Atlanta Braves will close out a long road trip in Chicago next week. They have been away from Truist Park for the past seven days, having played a three-game series in Miami against the Marlins and a four-game series in Philadelphia against the first-place National League East Phillies. 

    On Monday, Sept. 1, the Chicago Cubs will host the Braves for a three-game series. The two teams will meet again the following week when the Cubs will be in Atlanta for a three-game series beginning on Sept. 8. 

    Coming Home

    The Braves have not played well on the road this season. Currently more than 10 games under .500 on the road, but Atlanta finished their latest homestand – a series loss to the New York Mets- with a 33-33 record at Truist Park. With 15 more home games remaining in the season, there is a chance the Braves can finish the 2025 season above the .500 mark at home. The franchise has frequently done this for the past three decades, including the 1995 World Series championship season, which was honored during last Friday’s game against the Mets. 

    A nine-game homestand featuring the Seattle Mariners (Sept. 5-7), Cubs (Sept. 8-10), and the Houston Astros (Sept. 12-14) will be up next. All three opponents are in the hunt for postseason spots, so the Braves will have an opportunity to play spoiler in the American League, where Houston and Seattle are currently in first and second place in the American League West. The Cubs and former Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson are behind the first Milwaukee Brewers as of this Friday. 

    Bright Future

    As of last week, Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep was giving the Braves front office and fan base something to look forward to for next season. Through four starts this season, Waldrep has displayed the poise of a veteran.

    On Tuesday, Aug. 26, Waldrep’s most recent start, which took place in Miami against the Marlins, he had what can be considered his worst start of the season. In 5.1 innings, Waldrep gave up an earned run and eight hits without striking out a Marlins batter. He left the game with the Braves ahead 2-1 with one out. Miami would tie the game an inning later, and Waldrep would not earn his fifth victory of the season. Atlanta would score nine runs in the ninth inning to win the game 11-2.

    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    See You Next Year

    Major League Baseball released the 2026 schedules on Tuesday. The Braves will open the season at Truist Park instead of with seven straight games on the West Coast, like they did this season.

    The Kansas City Royals and the (Sacramento/Las Vegas?) A’s will be the first two opponents of the 2026 season. Atlanta will then travel out west to play four games in Arizona, followed by three in Los Angeles against the Angels. Here’s to hoping former Braves coach Ron Washington will be in the dugout when they arrive. 

    Washington is recovering from triple bypass surgery. Washington took over as Angels manager following the Braves’ World Series championship victory over the Houston Astros in 2021. 

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Michael Harris II stays hot, Braves defeat White Sox, 11-10 in a thriller

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    Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (above) is hitting over .400 in his last 30 games. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images

    With Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (a pair of singles and doubles during the game) on third base and two outs in the first inning, Michael Harris II (1-4 with two RBI) stepped to the plate and hit a two-strike, two-run home run to give the Braves the lead. A night earlier, Harris was 4-4 with a home run. He was pinch-run for in the eighth inning and missed an opportunity to bat with the bases loaded and the Braves down by four runs. Harris didn’t waste any time getting those lost RBIs back. The home run gave him 16 for the season and 68 RBI, second on the team behind Olson’s 72.

    Michael Harris II might be in the midst of the best second half in the history of The Atlanta Braves franchise. Heck, the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves are included in that hyperbole as well.

    When Harris came up to bat during the series against the Chicago White Sox earlier this week, the rounds of applause were typical of a star player playing on another level. In the third inning on Tuesday, with Ronald Acuna, Jr., on second base following a walk and stolen base, Harris didn’t get a hit. He did, however, advance the runner to third base with a ground ball up the middle that Lenyn Sosa threw to first. 

    In the past 30 games, including all three games against the White Sox, Harris is batting over .400 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI. Harris is also slugging over .770 and has an on base percentage just over .420. 

    During his 12-game hitting streak, Harris is batting closer to .500 and has seemed to take full advantage of the amount of baserunners he has seen while batting in the cleanup, fifth and sixth spots in the lineup.

    When Harris wasn’t helping the team with his bat on Tuesday, he used his glove. A pair of catches in the night inning helped Atlanta secure the victory. Braves manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Harris after the game.

    “He never takes a play off on defense,” said Snitker. “Michael has been the hottest player on the planet for a while.”

    Jurickson Profar has been playing just as well of late. His two-run home run off White Sox starter Shane Smith in the fourth inning gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead. Profar homered in three consecutive games, something he has done twice this season.

    Bryce Elder (above) started Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The last time Elder started, the Braves defeated the New York York Mets 4-3. Elder pitched one of his best games of the season, going seven innings with six strikeout, two walks, while only giving up two earned runs.

    Last night the White Sox hitters lit up Braves pitching, in particular Spencer Strider. On Tuesday night against Elder, the White Sox found a way to score eight runs through five innings following RBI singles from White Sox first baseman Miguel Vargas and Sosa, and a bases clearing double by Luis Robert, Jr. All three players had multi-hit games on Monday night and continued their strong run of play. Elder (4.2 innings, eight earned runs) was knocked out of the game and replaced by Connor Seabold.

    White Sox catcher Kyle Teel hit a two-run home run off Seabold down the right field line to give Chicago a 10-4 lead. Acuna, Jr.made the score10-5 with an RBI single in the seventh, Drake Baldwin walked with the bases loaded to make it 10-6, and Ozzie Albies hit a single to drive in two more runs, cutting the Chicago advantage to 10-8. A fielder choice would allow another run to score, so the braves were down 10-9. The inning would end with Vidal Brujan getting picked off at first base.

    Baldwin drive in a pair off runs in the eighth inning to put Atlanta ahead 11-10. Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias came on in the ninth and earned the save.

    There’s still time for the Braves to play spoiler and ruin the playoff chances for the Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros.

    What’s Next: The Braves will host the White Sox in the third game of this series and have Thursday, August 21, off before hosting the New York Mets in a three-game weekend series. Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for a 7:15 p.m.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • Dodger Stadium fans toss balls and trash on field

    Dodger Stadium fans toss balls and trash on field

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    Fans threw baseballs in the direction of San Diego left fielder Jurickson Profar and then tossed trash that caused a lengthy delay before the Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 on Sunday night to even their NL Division Series at a game apiece.Yu Darvish limited the Dodgers’ powerful offense to one run and three hits over seven innings and Fernando Tatis Jr. went deep twice as the Padres tied the postseason record of six homers.Video above: These Are Baseball’s Most Valuable Teams This YearDavid Peralta and Jackson Merrill each hit two-run homers, and a hobbled Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Higashioka had solo shots.The delay in the middle of the seventh inning led to a 12-minute gap between pitches and occurred as two balls were thrown from the stands in the direction of Profar. He chased after one of them but a security officer got to it first. Trash was strewn on the warning track in right near the Padres bullpen.Dodgers security staff attempted to identify the fans who caused the trouble, and public address announcer Todd Leitz told the crowd: “We ask that you do not throw objects onto the field.”There was continuous booing by the sellout crowd of 54,119 — the largest at Dodger Stadium this season.Security rushed onto the field as Padres manager Mike Shildt and his team huddled in shallow left. They were joined by the umpiring crew. Security appeared to be trying to identify potential perpetrators in the crowd.Manny Machado gathered his Padres teammates in the dugout to boost them before the game resumed.The best-of-five series shifts to San Diego on Tuesday.

    LOS ANGELES —

    Fans threw baseballs in the direction of San Diego left fielder Jurickson Profar and then tossed trash that caused a lengthy delay before the Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 on Sunday night to even their NL Division Series at a game apiece.

    Yu Darvish limited the Dodgers’ powerful offense to one run and three hits over seven innings and Fernando Tatis Jr. went deep twice as the Padres tied the postseason record of six homers.

    Video above: These Are Baseball’s Most Valuable Teams This Year

    David Peralta and Jackson Merrill each hit two-run homers, and a hobbled Xander Bogaerts and Kyle Higashioka had solo shots.

    The delay in the middle of the seventh inning led to a 12-minute gap between pitches and occurred as two balls were thrown from the stands in the direction of Profar. He chased after one of them but a security officer got to it first. Trash was strewn on the warning track in right near the Padres bullpen.

    Dodgers security staff attempted to identify the fans who caused the trouble, and public address announcer Todd Leitz told the crowd: “We ask that you do not throw objects onto the field.”

    There was continuous booing by the sellout crowd of 54,119 — the largest at Dodger Stadium this season.

    Security rushed onto the field as Padres manager Mike Shildt and his team huddled in shallow left. They were joined by the umpiring crew. Security appeared to be trying to identify potential perpetrators in the crowd.

    Manny Machado gathered his Padres teammates in the dugout to boost them before the game resumed.

    The best-of-five series shifts to San Diego on Tuesday.

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  • Red-hot Brendan Rodgers sparks Rockies’ 7-3 win over Padres

    Red-hot Brendan Rodgers sparks Rockies’ 7-3 win over Padres

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    Brendan Rodgers had another hot August night, and the Rockies cooled off the sizzling Padres.

    Rodgers’ three-run, first-inning homer sparked the Rockies’ 7-3 victory Friday at Coors Field. San Diego, trying to topple the Dodgers from the National League West throne, came into the game having won 19 of its previous 22 games.

    Rodgers extended his hitting streak to 10 games and is hitting .392 this month, with six doubles, three homers and a 1.115 OPS.

    His 10th homer of the season was the catalyst to Colorado’s four-run first. Rodgers blasted a 77.3 mph knuckleball from right-hander Matt Waldron 439 feet and deep into the left-field bleachers.

    “It’s been fun,” Rodgers said. “I usually do struggle in August. But I talked to my hitter guy and some people I trust a lot with the developmental part of the game.  So I decided to trust it and just keep going.”

    Manager Bud Black is thrilled with Rodgers’ production and his ability to “go to the post” as the season heads into its final weeks.

    “He’s driving the ball better, and we’re seeing him hit to the gaps and send the ball over the fence,” Black said. “His swing is crisp with some bat speed to it.

    “And what’s good about it for me, and to the coaching staff, is that it’s happening in the dog days of August, and it’s happening when guys are tired. It’s happening at the time of year when you really have to fight through some things, physically and mentally. This is a tough time for all players. I’m proud of Brendan.”

    Rodgers had plenty of help Friday night. Rookie Jordan Beck (3-for-4) singled in the second and waltzed home on Charlie Blackmon’s eighth homer of the season. In the sixth, Beck drove in Michael Toglia with a single to right. Toglia led off with a hustle double to right.

    Blackmon’s homer was his first since July 22 vs. Boston. His 223 career home runs are four shy of tying Carlos Gonzalez for fifth in franchise history.

    Colorado right-hander Cal Quantrill, making his first start since Aug. 4 because he was sidelined with forearm soreness, turned in a workmanlike, five-inning start.

    “Early on, I was a little tentative and I made some bad pitches in the first and second,” Quantrill said. “But I think we settled in after that. I thought (catcher Jacob Stallings) called a good game, and we kept mixing it up just enough. We didn’t rely too heavily on the fastball or the splitter, we just had a nice change of pace.

    “It probably won’t be my best start ever, but we’ve talked about the importance of winning at home. That’s a team that’s really hot right now and we beat them.”

    Quantrill is 4-2 with a 3.47 ERA in 10 starts at Coors, the seventh pitcher in franchise history to post a sub-3.50 ERA through his first 10 starts in LoDo as a member of the Rockies. The others are Austin Gomber, Kyle Freeland, Tyler Anderson, Juan Nicasio, Jeff Francis and Denny Stark.

    All three runs Quantrill gave up came on home runs — a two-run blast by Ha-Seong Kim in the second and a leadoff blast by Xander Bogaerts in the fourth.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Jarren Duran’s 2-run HR gives AL a 5-3 win over NL in All-Star Game started by rookie pitcher Skenes

    Jarren Duran’s 2-run HR gives AL a 5-3 win over NL in All-Star Game started by rookie pitcher Skenes

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    By STEPHEN HAWKINS

    ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a player who keeps his head down, works hard and never thinks of himself as being better than anybody else.

    Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Game, hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer for the American League and being awarded the MVP trophy named after Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams.

    “That’s an honor. Who else would I want to try to follow in the footsteps of besides a guy like that, who is not just a great baseball player but a great human being,” Duran said after becoming the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP. “That guy was awesome, and I’m honored to be able to have his award.”

    The decisive homer came in the fifth inning Tuesday night as the AL beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.

    Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third.

    Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the score in the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.

    “It’s a surreal moment. So I’m just thankful to be here,” said Duran, who was one of 39 first-time All-Stars this year.

    Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the fastest in the All-Star Game since tracking began in 2008. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.

    The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched only 11 big league games since being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last July, became the first rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest games played for any player to make an All-Star team. The right-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out walk to Soto before his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch.

    Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs up to 100.1 mph.

    “Frankly, I wish I’d had a few more pitches to do that today,” said Skenes, who has a good mix of pitches to go with the hard stuff. “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”

    Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 times in the first season of his record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, pulled a 400-foot drive to right off Tanner Houck. That came after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the first two batters he faced: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.

    “I haven’t really hit well in the All-Star Game, so I’m just relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani said. “I just focused on having a regular at-bat as if I was in the regular season.”

    When Ohtani went against Miller in the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider well inside and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of more than 100 mph.

    Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the first Dodgers player to go deep in the Midsummer Classic since Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his 30th birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.

    Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking over for Soto in right field, had a two-out single in the fifth before Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had replaced Judge in center. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball before going deep on an 86 mph splitter.

    “I knew he threw really hard so I was just praying he would throw me a first pitch fastball so I could see how hard it was. After that, I was hoping to get a pitch up,” Duran said. “He happened to leave a pitch up. I happened to put a good swing on it.”

    The last Red Sox player to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.

    Duran was voted by his peers as an All-Star after being the first AL player to go into the break with at least 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.

    The AL has a 48-44-2 record in the All-Star Game, and had won nine in a row before the National League’s 3-2 victory last year in Seattle.

    AL starter Corbin Burnes arrived in Texas the morning of the game after spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a walk and then a two-out double to Bryce Harper before getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher last season in Milwaukee.

    After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a big smile on his face when he kept jogging and wrapped his arm around Contreras on the baseline.

    Quick game

    Played in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988, a game that the AL won 2-1 in Cincinnati that took only two minutes less.

    Won in both leagues

    Bruce Bochy of the host Rangers became the first manager to win World Series titles and All-Star Games in both leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star manager, leading the NL to a win in 2011. He won the World Series three times with the NL’s San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them last year.

    Up next

    The MLB regular series resumes Friday when 14 games are scheduled, with Milwaukee and Minnesota the only teams that won’t play until Saturday. Philadelphia (62-34) has the best record in the majors and Cleveland (58-37) has an AL-best .611 winning percentage, though Baltimore and the New York Yankees also have 58 wins.

    ___

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

    Originally Published:

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    The Associated Press

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  • Cronenworth, Padres rally to stun Dodgers 5-3 to reach NLCS

    Cronenworth, Padres rally to stun Dodgers 5-3 to reach NLCS

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    SAN DIEGO — Baseball fans in San Diego have been waiting a long time to party like this and the Padres were more than happy to finally oblige.

    What made it so much sweeter was that they toppled the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team in the majors this year and one that had beaten up on the Padres regularly for the better part of two seasons.

    Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the seventh inning and San Diego rallied past the Dodgers 5-3 Saturday night to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1998.

    Petco Park shook and the sellout crowd of 45,139 roared when Josh Hader struck out Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman in succession to end the Padres’ third straight win against the Dodgers.

    Hader and third baseman Manny Machado jumped into each other’s arms and the rest of the team joined them in a wild celebration on the infield grass as fireworks went off above the downtown ballpark. Machado and Juan Soto exhorted the fans for more as they all reveled in the middle of a rare San Diego rainstorm.

    “Our fans have been waiting for so long and I used to be that fan that was waiting,” said Joe Musgrove, the hometown kid who started the clincher. “It feels good to be on this side of the ball, I’ll tell you that, but these fans deserve to celebrate tonight.

    “I know the job’s not done, we’ve got a lot of baseball ahead of us still, but this is something that needs to be celebrated,” Musgrove said. “Those guys handed it to us all year long and when it came down to it and we needed to win ballgames we found ways to do it.”

    Before a sign-carrying crowd chanting “Beat LA! Beat LA!,” the Padres stunned the 111-win Dodgers with a five-run seventh to win their best-of-five NL Division Series 3-1.

    “It’s about to be a party out here tonight,” said Musgrove, who grew up a Padres fan in the San Diego suburbs.

    “I mean, since I was a little kid we’ve been getting beat up by the Dodgers. But when it comes down to it and the games matter, this team stepped up, from top to bottom.”

    The Padres had lost nine straight series to the Dodgers before winning the one that mattered the most.

    San Diego will host the Philadelphia Phillies in Games 1 and 2 of an all-wild card NLCS on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Phillies beat the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves 8-3 earlier in the day to win their NLDS in four games.

    “This is what the city’s been waiting for for a long time,” said Machado, the Padres’ $300 million third baseman and unquestioned leader.

    The Padres last reached the NLCS 24 years ago when they beat Atlanta in six games and were then swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series. A handful of players from that team watched from a luxury suite, including Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman and center fielder Steve Finley.

    It was a soul-crushing ending for the Dodgers after the best regular-season record in club history and manager Dave Roberts’ prediction during spring training that they’d win the World Series.

    “Shock factor, very high. Disappointment, very high. It’s crushing,” Roberts said. “Each guy gave everything they had all year long, and a tremendous season. The great thing about baseball is the unpredictability, and the tough thing about it is the same thing.

    “Nothing I can say is going to make it feel any better. Obviously we didn’t expect to be in this position,” he added.

    The game was delayed 31 minutes at the start by showers, which returned in the eighth inning and prompted a short delay while the grounds crew worked on the mound.

    After left-hander Tyler Anderson stymied the Padres through five scoreless innings, San Diego broke through against the Dodgers’ bullpen in the seventh.

    Jurickson Profar drew a leadoff walk against Tommy Kahnle, took third on Trent Grisham’s single and scored when Austin Nola’s infield single glanced off Freeman’s glove at first base. Yency Almonte, who took the loss, came on and was greeted by Kim Ha-seong’s RBI double inside the third base line, followed by Soto’s tying single to right.

    With two outs and the crowd on its feet, Cronenworth singled to center off local product Alex Vesia to give the Padres the lead, raising his arms in celebration as he rounded first and then punching the air with his right fist as he pulled into second base on the throw home. Soto, acquired from Washington in a blockbuster trade Aug. 2, slid home headfirst and jumped up and cheered.

    “We talked about it all day — we’re winning tonight no matter what the situation is,” Cronenworth said.

    “It took a team effort to beat a really good team and we did that,” Machado said.

    After the first rain delay, fans were amped up in anticipation of Musgrove pitching his hometown Padres into the NL Championship Series. The big right-hander from suburban El Cajon, a first-time All-Star in 2022, was the first Padres pitcher from San Diego to make a postseason start in his hometown.

    But Anderson outpitched Musgrove, holding the Padres to two hits through five innings.

    The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the third. Betts walked with one out and Turner scorched a grounder past third baseman Machado, who has carried the Padres much of the season, to move Betts to third. Freeman, who helped the Braves win the World Series last year before signing with the Dodgers as a free agent, doubled down the right field line to bring them both in.

    Will Smith hit a sacrifice fly against Steven Wilson with the bases loaded in the seventh for a 3-0 lead, but winning pitcher Tim Hill prevented further damage.

    The Dodgers will be left with an empty feeling. They won the NL West for the ninth time in 10 seasons and finished 22 games ahead of San Diego. The Dodgers went 14-5 against the Padres in the regular season.

    Musgrove was trying for his second straight playoff series-clinching win. On Sunday night, he dominated the New York Mets at Citi Field, allowing just one hit and one walk in seven innings in a 6-0 win that sent the Padres to the NLDS.

    He gave up two runs and six hits in six innings against the Dodgers, struck out eight and walked three.

    FIRST PITCH

    Jake Peavy, the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner who was Musgrove’s boyhood idol, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to former teammate Mark Loretta. Musgrove switched to Peavy’s No. 44 after he was obtained by the Padres prior to the 2021 season.

    UP NEXT

    Dodgers: Play their spring training opener Feb. 25 against Milwaukee.

    Padres: RHP Yu Darvish likely will get the start Tuesday in Game 1 of the NLCS.

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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