The San Diego Padres punched their playoff ticket in dramatic fashion Monday — to the delight of a jubilant Petco Park.
Catcher Freddy Fermin hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th that scored Bryce Johnson to give the Padres a 5-4 victory and clinch a spot in the NL playoffs.
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The Padres are currently in position to secure the second wild card and the No. 5 seed in the postseason. San Diego (86-71) is 2.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West with five games remaining, all at home for the Padres.
Jose Iglesias was pumped after tying the game on an RBI single in the seventh inning. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Sean M. Haffey via Getty Images)
Trailing 4-3 in the 10th Monday, the Padres tied it up when Gavin Sheets brought Luis Arraez home on a fielder’s choice.
The Brewers, who already clinched the NL Central and are in the driver’s seat for the NL’s No. 1 seed, missed a chance to break the game open in the 11th. With the bases loaded, Jackson Chourio grounded out into an inning-ending double play.
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The Padres took it from there in the bottom of the frame. Jose Iglesias hit a sacrifice that advanced Johnson to third, setting up Fermin for the winning hit.
San Diego is in the playoffs for the second straight season and fourth time in six years.