The San Diego Padres defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-7 at Petco Park on September 27, 2026, clinching a playoff spot in a thrilling offensive battle.
Key facts
Padres secured the No. 4 seed in the National League playoffs with the win.
Manny Machado hit a three-run homer, his 30th of the season.
James McCann contributed a two-run homer for the Diamondbacks.
Yuki Matsui earned the win in relief, improving to 5-1.
Why it matters: This victory ended the Diamondbacks' six-game winning streak and solidified the Padres' third consecutive postseason appearance, marking a franchise milestone.
San Diego's 90-71 record marks their third straight season with 90 or more wins.
The Padres will host a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs starting Tuesday.
Arizona remains in contention for the NL's third wild-card spot, just one game behind Philadelphia.
Driving the news: The game featured multiple lead changes, with both teams demonstrating strong offensive performances throughout.
Jackson Merrill opened the scoring for the Padres with an RBI single in the first inning, driving in Dustin Harris.
Arizona responded in the second inning, tying the game at 1-1 due to a defensive indifference error.
Gabriel Moreno then put the Diamondbacks ahead 2-1 with an RBI single in the third inning.
State of play: The back-and-forth scoring continued as the Padres regained the lead in the third inning.
Dustin Harris tripled, and Gavin Sheets followed with a double, giving the Padres a 3-2 advantage.
James McCann's two-run homer in the fourth inning briefly put Arizona back in the lead at 4-3.
Machado's three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth shifted momentum back to San Diego, leading 6-4.
The big picture: This game showcased the Padres' offensive depth and resilience, key traits for their playoff aspirations.
Xander Bogaerts added a solo home run in the fifth inning, increasing the lead to 7-4.
Fernando Tatis Jr. contributed an RBI ground out, extending the lead to 8-4.
Jake Cronenworth capped the scoring with a two-run single in the sixth inning, bringing the score to 10-4.
What they're saying: The Padres expressed confidence in their ability to compete in the postseason.
"We’ve worked hard to get here, and we’re ready to take on anyone in the playoffs," Machado said after the game.
Padres manager noted, "This win was important for our momentum heading into the playoffs."
By the numbers: The game featured impressive offensive stats from both teams.
San Diego scored 10 runs on 13 hits, with 4 home runs contributing to their total.
Arizona managed 7 runs on 10 hits, with McCann's homer being a highlight.
The game’s total of 17 runs exceeded the over/under of 7.5, favoring those who bet on the over.
What's next: The Padres are set to face the Cubs in the Wild Card Series starting on Tuesday.
Arizona will look to bounce back in their final game of the regular season, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Both teams will finalize their rosters and strategies ahead of the postseason.
The Padres' victory secured their playoff spot and highlighted their potent lineup, which will be a formidable challenge for any opponent in the postseason.