Padres beat Dodgers 4-2 to clinch a franchise-record 3rd straight postseason berth

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ethan Salas had RBI singles in a three-run seventh inning and the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Thursday night to clinch their franchise-record third consecutive postseason berth and fifth in seven seasons.

>It didn't come easily.

>The Dodgers closed to 4-2 in the ninth on Shohei Ohtani's RBI double off Padres closer Mason Miller.

>Yuki Matsui (1-1) got the victory in relief. Miller earned his 38th save.

>Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow (5-2) struck out a season-high 11 and took a no-hitter into the sixth, when Salas and Tatis broke it up with back-to-back singles. Salas scored on Dustin Harris' sacrifice fly to center.

>The Padres got Glasnow out of the game in the seventh after Jackson Merrill doubled and Xander Bogaerts walked. Merrill scored from second as pinch-hitter Austin Hays' single against reliever Justin Wrobleski went off third baseman Max Muncy's glove.

>Salas' two-strike single to center scored Bogaerts. Tatis followed with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead.

>It was Glasnow's second straight game with at least 10 strikeouts. He gave up three runs and three hits.

>While the Padres clinched a berth, the Dodgers locked up a bye and the Milwaukee Brewers secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

>They avoided the wild-card round and earned home-field advantage in the NL Division Series before stepping on the field after Cincinnati beat Atlanta 7-6. The two-time defending World Series champions will open the postseason on Oct. 3.

>The Dodgers' other run was scored on a balk by Adrian Morejon in the eighth.

>Ohtani was back in the Dodgers' leadoff spot since the Padres started a right-handed pitcher. He was 2 for 5 with a strikeout. He batted second behind Mookie Betts and also went 1 for 4 in his return from the injured list on Wednesday.

>Padres starter Nick Pivetta struck out five of nine batters in his first trip through the Dodgers' lineup. He gave up back-to-back, two-out hits to Ohtani and Betts before Freddie Freeman took a called third strike to end the inning.

Up next Padres: They had yet to announce a starter for Friday's series opener against D-backs RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-3, 3.72 ERA).

>Dodgers: LHP Tarik Skubal (11-7, 2.85) starts Friday at San Francisco against Giants RHP Yunior Marte (0-1, 4.66).

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