SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kyle Higashioka’s solo homer started a five-run rally against an ailing Max Fried with two outs in the second inning, and the San Diego Padres held on to sweep the Atlanta Braves with a 5-4 victory in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night. Manny Machado added a two-run double with the bases loaded and Jackson Merrill, a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, followed with a two-run triple as the sellout crowd of 47,705 — the largest in Petco Park history — roared. The Padres, who would love to win a World Series title in memory of late owner Peter Seidler, head up Interstate 5 to face Shohei Ohtani and the NL West rival Dodgers in a National League Division Series beginning Saturday evening at top-seeded Los Angeles. San Diego eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in a 2022 NLDS.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio tied the game in the eighth with his second homer of the night and Garrett Mitchell delivered a two-run shot later in the inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday that evened their NL Wild Card Series. The teams will play a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night. The Brewers will attempt to become the first team to win a best-of-three Wild Card Series after losing the opener since MLB went to this expanded playoff format in 2022. Milwaukee trailed 3-2 when Chourio led off the eighth by homering to right-center off losing pitcher Phil Maton, making his fourth appearance on the mound in five days. The 20-year-old rookie also opened the bottom of the first inning with a drive to right against Sean Manaea, becoming the youngest player to hit a leadoff homer in the postseason.
PRAGUE (AP) — Ondrej Palat has won the Stanley Cup twice. He’s won a gold medal with the Czech Republic at the world championships. This week, the forward will check another item on his bucket list when his New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres open the NHL regular season with two games in Prague. “I have been fortunate enough to realize many of my dreams in hockey,” Palat said. “But to play an NHL hockey game in my beloved Czechia is something I’ve never imagined.” The NHL global series games on Friday and Saturday will bring the number of regular season games hosted by Prague to nine. Stockholm, Sweden, is the only location outside North America that has had more. Two more international games will be played in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2 when defending Stanley Cup champion Florida face the Dallas Stars.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill flashed a big smile as he described the “beautiful situation” he’s in as the star receiver for the Miami Dolphins — downplaying trade rumors that have emerged surrounding teams, including his former Kansas City Chiefs, in need of receiver help. Hill said Wednesday that he would love to stay in Miami, even amid a 1-3 start in which the Dolphins have the worst scoring offense in the NFL. “I’m just focused on right here, right now,” Hill said. “We got a beautiful team here, and I want to be a part of it.”
WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Major League Baseball
Wild Card Playoffs (best of 3)
American League
Kansas City 2, Baltimore 1 (Royals win series 2-0)
Detroit 5, Houston 2 (Tigers win series 2-0)
National League
Milwaukee 5, NY Mets 3 (series tied 1-1)
San Diego 5, Atlanta 4 (Padres win series 2-0)