MLB playoff scores: Padres stars send them to NLDS over Braves, Jackson Chourio saves Brewers season vs. Mets

The two National League Wild Card Series continued on Wednesday, with the San Diego Padres defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-4 to advance to the next round, and the Milwaukee Brewers staving off elimination with a 5-3 win against the New York Mets to force a winner-take-all game on Thursday.

The American League side of the bracket had been played earlier in the day, with the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers eliminating the higher seeded Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros. As such, this postseason will see just one Game 3 in the initial round.

Let's touch on something you should know about both of the NL games. Below that, you can find the running commentary and analysis we provided throughout the night.

Padres stars lift San Diego to win, NLDS

San Diego's efforts to deliver a World Series title in recent years have been defined by the accumulation and development of stars. Consider it a fitting development, then, that it was the stars who delivered versus the Braves on Wednesday, paving the way for the Padres to advance for a showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

The Padres fell behind 1-0 in the first inning, but the Braves' lead didn't last long. Kyle Higashioka tied the game with a solo home run (his second in as many games) in the second inning. From there, it was all about San Diego's best-known talent.

Designated hitter Luis Arraez, outfielders Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jurickson Profar, third baseman Manny Machado, and star rookie center fielder Jackson Merrill stacked hit after hit following Higashioka's two-out homer, plating four additional runs in the process to give San Diego a 5-1 lead. The Braves would slice into it thanks to home runs from Jorge Soler and Michael Harris II, but the Padres held on to win 5-4.

Those aforementioned five players -- Arraez, Tatis, Profar, Machado, and Merrill -- combined for nine hits, four runs, four runs batted in, and a walk. 

The one notable exception to San Diego's star party was shortstop Xander Bogaerts, a four-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner. Fresh off his worst season in a decade, Bogaerts turned in an 0-for-4 night and left five runners on base. 

It speaks to the quality of San Diego's lineup that they were still able to put up a big inning and advance onward in their quest for a World Series title.

Outfielders save Brewers season 

The Brewers remained alive in their Wild Card Series against the Padres on Wednesday night, notching a come-from-behind 5-3 victory to force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday. The Brewers trailed by a 3-2 margin heading into the bottom of the eighth, but were able to prevail thanks to big hits from their collection of talented outfielders.

Jackson Chourio, the wunderkind who was the youngest regular in the majors this season, will receive most of the headlines. He became the first player in Brewers franchise history to record a multi-homer game. Both of his home runs were solo shots that tied the game -- first at 1-1 in the bottom of the first, then at 3-3 in the eighth. Chourio became the second player in MLB history to pull off hitting two game-tying home runs in the same postseason contest. The other? Babe Ruth.

Chourio wasn't alone in outfielder heroics. Garrett Mitchell, who didn't start the contest, entered the game as a pinch-runner for designated hitter Gary Sánchez. Mitchell would serve as the DH for the rest of the night, receiving a pivotal eighth-inning plate appearance that saw launch this decisive two-run shot:

Starting center fielder Blake Perkins, meanwhile, rapped two hits and contributed a sacrifice fly. Right fielder Sal Frelick contributed a hit, too. In all, the Brewers received six hits, three home runs, and five RBI from players who would regularly make up their outfield. In the process, they demonstrated why the Brewers ranked ninth in regular season OPS from outfielders -- and now, they'll be rewarded with a chance to advance to the NLDS. 

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Padres eliminate Braves with 5-4 win

The San Diego Padres have eliminated the Atlanta Braves from the 2024 postseason. After winning Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on the strength of pitching and early offense, the Padres racked up the runs early again. This time around, they had a five-run second that included a Kyle Higashioka home run (his second of the series), a two-RBI Manny Machado double and two-RBI Jackson Merrill triple. 

It felt a little like the series was over then, but things started to break in the opposite direction shortly thereafter. 

Padres starter Joe Musgrove left in the fourth inning with an elbow injury. Jorge Soler homered for the Braves in the fifth. Then Michael Harris II hit a two-run shot in the top of the eighth to trim the Padres' lead to a far-from-comfortable 5-4. 

Padres All-Star closer Robert Suarez was summoned for the ninth against the bottom half of the Braves' lineup. Still, there was cause for concern. Suarez had a 5.66 ERA in his last 21 regular-season appearances. That included three home runs allowed in 20 2/3 innings. Soler was leading off the inning, too. 

Suarez would get the 1-2-3 to close down the series. 

The Padres now move on to face the Dodgers in the NLDS, starting Saturday.

October 3, 2024, 3:24 AM
Oct. 02, 2024, 11:24 pm EDT
 
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Travis d'Arnaud on to pinch hit with the Braves last chance

October 3, 2024, 3:23 AM
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Braves are an out away from midnight.

 
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one

October 3, 2024, 3:22 AM
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Braves are two outs from elimination. 

 
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Suárez is a pure pronator. Four-seamer, sinker, change. Everything moves arm side.  

 
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Suarez is in

He had a 5.66 ERA in his last 21 appearances. He allowed at least one in nine of those 21 appearances. 

October 3, 2024, 3:16 AM
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Have to assume it'll be Robert Suárez in the ninth. If he converts the save, the Padres advance to the NLDS against the Dodgers. If he blows the save (and the Braves win), then we're back here tomorrow for a decisive Game 3. 

 
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We head to the bottom of the eighth. Padres still lead 5-4.

 
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Braves cut it to one on Harris homer

Well, how about this? The Braves are battling. After a leadoff single in the eighth from Orlando Arcia, Michael Harris II just hit a two-run home run off Jason Adam. 

It is 5-4 Padres with nobody out in the eighth inning. This was a 5-1 game through four innings and then 5-2 through seven.

Harris, by the way, is 5 for 8 with a double and home run so far this series.

October 3, 2024, 3:03 AM
Oct. 02, 2024, 11:03 pm EDT
 
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Leadoff man on again for Braves

Jason Adam is in to pitch for the Padres and Orlando Arcia greets him with a single.

October 3, 2024, 3:01 AM
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Scott escapes

The trade-deadline acquisition struck out Ramon Laureano, induced a pop out from Gio Urshela and then got Sean Murphy to swing at strike 3 and strand Soler at first.

October 3, 2024, 2:49 AM
Oct. 02, 2024, 10:49 pm EDT
 
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Leadoff man on for Braves in seventh

Jorge Soler draws a walk. Not the start to the seventh Tanner Scott and the Padres needed.

October 3, 2024, 2:44 AM
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Padres escape

Matt Olson hits a looping liner to left field that hangs long enough for Jurickson Profar to catch it and end the inning. It is 5-2 Padres heading to the seventh. You have to assume the Padres are planning to have Tanner Scott, Jason Adam and Robert Suarez combine to finish this thing without getting anyone else up in the bullpen.

October 3, 2024, 2:32 AM
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Braves have two on for Matt Olson. Padres go to Tanner Scott with two outs in the sixth.

October 3, 2024, 2:29 AM
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Brewers 5, Mets 3

The Milwaukee Brewers were just six outs away from elimination, but they put together a huge eighth inning and have now forced a Game 3 in the best-of-three Wild Card Series. 

The Mets struck first in this one with a run in the top of the first. Brewers rookie Jackson Chourio immediately tied it with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first. The Mets would answer with two runs in the top of the second, but they wouldn't score again. The Brewers got back a run in the fifth, but still trailed heading to the bottom of the eighth, 3-2. 

Then came Chourio. Again. The 20-year-old outfielder hit his second homer of the game, becoming the first Brewers player to ever go deep twice in the same postseason game. Later that inning, the proverbial big blow came from pinch hitter Garrett Mitchell. 

It was a two-run shot and the Brewers led, 5-3, with All-Star closer Devin Williams waiting in the wings. He would make quick work of the Mets, unsurprisingly, given his track record. 

There will be baseball on Thursday. The Brewers host the Mets for Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. The winner will head to Philadelphia for the NLDS. The loser unfortunately will be done for the season. 

October 3, 2024, 2:22 AM
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Brewers take the lead

Garrett Mitchell comes through with a pinch-hit, two-run home run. 

The Brewers came into the bottom of the eighth inning trailing by a run and sitting just six outs away from elimination. Instead, they'll hand the ball to their closer with a two-run lead and only three outs away from forcing a Game 3. What a turn of events. 

October 3, 2024, 2:16 AM
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Brewers tie it on Chourio HR

Brewers wunderkind Jackson Chourio homered to tie the game in the first and now he's homered to tie the game in the eighth. 

Earlier in the game, Chourio became the fifth-youngest player to ever homer in a playoff game -- and the youngest since Bryce Harper did it in 2012. With this blast, Chourio becomes the first Brewers player ever to homer twice in a playoff game. Quite a night for the rookie and it's not over yet.

It is a brand new ballgame at 3-3 in Milwaukee. The Brewers also have stellar closer Devin Williams fresh and ready to go for the ninth. 

October 3, 2024, 2:07 AM
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Padres pitching

They'll only need to get through the sixth before going to their three closers -- Jason Adam, Tanner Scott and Robert Suarez. Maybe Adrian Morejon? Wandy Peralta? Jeremiah Estrada? YU DARVISH? (It won't be Darvish). Mike Shildt could also elect to just go straight to Scott and see how far he could get. He's gotten five outs in an appearance as recently as Sept. 21.

October 3, 2024, 2:05 AM
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Jorge Soler home run gets Braves closer

Soler knocked a solo shot over the fence in dead center to lead off the fifth inning to get the Braves to a 5-2 deficit. After Joe Musgrove left the inning earlier with an apparent injury, the Padres turned to Bryan Hoenig, who then stayed in for the fifth.

October 3, 2024, 2:00 AM
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It's 5-2 in San Diego

Jorge Soler has homered for the Braves. Top five. 

October 3, 2024, 1:59 AM
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Heading to the 8th in Milwaukee

It's still 3-2 Mets. It would behoove them to add some insurance here. Their late-inning relief isn't the most reliable. Edwin Díaz might be able to go two innings, but that's a dicey proposition. The Brewers are down to six outs. 

October 3, 2024, 1:57 AM
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Padres' Musgrove exits with apparent injury

Padres starter Joe Musgrove didn't appear to feel right on the mound, triggering a conference. After a meeting with his catcher, manager, coach and trainer, Musgrove is leaving the game. On air, ESPN reported that there's concern with Musgrove's throwing elbow. 

He finishes with 3 2/3 innings pitched, having allowed one run on one hit (a leadoff double) while striking out four. 

The Padres have a 5-1 lead and a strong bullpen. Bryan Hoeing, who has been excellent since also coming over in the Tanner Scott trade, takes over. 

A bigger issue looms over the Padres if they can hold on here and that's Musgrove's status moving forward. He only made 19 starts this season and was excellent once he returned from injury in mid-August. He had a bone spur in his elbow earlier in the season, causing an IL stint, so it's entirely possible this is related.

Joe Musgrove injury: Padres starter exits MLB playoff start vs. Braves with right elbow tightness
R.J. Anderson
Joe Musgrove injury: Padres starter exits MLB playoff start vs. Braves with right elbow tightness
October 3, 2024, 1:39 AM
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Fried went two innings and allowed five runs on eight hits. Like R.J. said, that could be the last we see of him as a Brave, as he'll hit free agency after the World Series.

October 3, 2024, 1:31 AM
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Worth wondering if we've seen Max Fried's last pitch with the Braves.

 
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Machado gives Padres lead

The Padres weren't satisfied with tying the game at 1-1 on the aforementioned two-out home run from Kyle Higashioka. Rather, they continued to apply pressure on lefty Max Fried. 

Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Jurickson Profar stacked singles. Manny Machado then drove in a pair of runs with this double:

Rookie star Jackson Merrill followed up Machado's extra-base hit with one of his own, plating two more runs with a triple:

Just like that, the Padres had built a 5-1 lead -- all with two outs in the inning.

The Padres are a win away from advancing for a NLDS date against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

 
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Padres break game open

We have more coming on this, but the Padres have taken a 5-1 lead in San Diego.

October 3, 2024, 1:18 AM
Oct. 02, 2024, 9:18 pm EDT
 
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Brewers have gotten one back

Brice Turang led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to LF that was misplayed by Brandon Nimmo and he got to second. Jackson Chourio had a nice, productive out to move Turang to third and then Blake Perkins brought Turang home with a sac fly to deep center. It's 3-2 Mets in the fifth. 

October 3, 2024, 1:17 AM
Oct. 02, 2024, 9:17 pm EDT
 
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Padres tie the game in the second

The Padres have evened Game 2 here in the second, with catcher Kyle Higashioka lifting a solo home run to left field off Max Fried. Take a look:

Higashioka's home run had a 99.3 mph exit velocity and traveled 371 feet, according to Statcast.

Higashioka, who homered a career-high 17 times during the regular season, also teed off last night as part of a San Diego win. He's now the fifth Padre in history to homer in back-to-back playoff games, joining Jim Leyritz, Juan Soto, Trent Grisham and Ken Caminiti.

 
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Fried escapes a jam

The Braves will maintain their 1-0 lead heading into the second. The Padres had a real chance to tie this one, or perhaps even open it up early. Instead, Fried was able to work through traffic.

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