SAN DIEGO (AP) — Freddy Fermin singled in automatic runner Bryce Johnson with one out in the 11th inning and the San Diego Padres beat the three-time NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 Monday night to clinch their fourth playoff berth in six seasons.
Fermin, acquired from Kansas City at the trade deadline on July 31, drove the first pitch he saw from Grant Anderson to center field. He tossed his bat aside and then tossed his helmet as he approached first base, setting off a wild celebration in front of a sellout crowd of 42,371 at Petco Park.
The Padres pulled within 2 1/2 games of the idle Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West race and 2 1/2 games behind the idle Chicago Cubs in the race for the National League’s first of three wild card spots.
The Brewers (95-62) clinched their third straight division title on Sunday and are headed to the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. They are trying to clinch the NL’s No. 1 seed.
Jose Iglesias bunted Johnson to third before Fermin delivered the winning hit.
Each team scored a run in the 10th. The Padres left the bases loaded in their half of the inning.
Three-time batting champion Luis Arraez singled in the tying run with two outs in the seventh and emphatically pumped his fists toward the dugout on his bobblehead night.
ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale earned his first win against Washington, Ronald Acuña Jr. homered and Atlanta beat the Nationals.
The Braves continued their strong run over the final two weeks of the season with their ninth straight win, their longest run since 2023.
Sale (6-5) allowed five runs on three hits over five innings. It was the second time Sale has allowed five earned runs in his 19 starts this season. José Suarez pitched three scoreless innings for his first save.
Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and the NL Rookie of the Year has an RBI in each of his last six games. Acuña reached base five times with a home run, three walks and he was hit by a pitch.
Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore (5-15) gave up four runs on four hits in two innings.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Iván Herrera hit a tying two-run homer in the decisive fifth inning before St. Louis scored the go-ahead run on San Francisco second baseman Casey Schmitt’s error and Jordan Walker added an RBI groundout, sending the Cardinals past the Giants.
Michael McGreevy (8-3) allowed five runs on six hits over five innings. The right-hander came in with an 11-inning scoreless streak, but that ended when he surrendered a leadoff home run to Heliot Ramos to begin his outing.
JoJo Romero, the fifth St. Louis pitcher, tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save.
José Fermín doubled twice and drove in a run for the Cardinals. And once they went ahead 5-4, starter Justin Verlander’s night was done.
Rafael Devers homered leading off the Giants’ half of the fifth, while Ramos added a two-run single in the fourth after his 19th home run earlier.
Verlander (3-11) was tagged for six runs and nine hits over 4 1/3 innings as San Francisco kicked off a season-ending six-game homestand. He came in with a 0.36 ERA over his previous four starts.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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