Now, they want to win a World Series for the first time, having been there twice only to lose.
asserted
they → want → time
Manny Machado fielded Mookie Betts’ groundout to third base for the final out in a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night that clinched a playoff berth, and the celebration was on.
asserted
celebration → field → berth
“I was feeling nice,” Machado said in the cramped visitors’ clubhouse, his bare chest soaked with a mix of beer and Champagne.
asserted
chest → feel → beer
“We’re clinching!”
asserted
We → clinch → ?
The Padres (89-70) partied inside and then came out on the Dodger Stadium field in matching black T-shirts to pose for photos.
asserted
Padres → partie → photos
“I’ve never won a championship,” Machado said.
asserted
Machado → win → championship
“I know what winning looks like.
asserted
winning → know → what
It takes a whole village to do it and we’ve been showing it this year.
asserted
we → take → it
It’s awesome to see it being done.”
asserted
it → ’ → ?
Fernando Tatis Jr. stole two bases for the fourth time this season and extended his on-base streak to 18 games with a walk in the fourth against the Dodgers.
asserted
Jr. → steal → Dodgers
“Let’s celebrate!” he screamed above the din in the darkened clubhouse.
asserted
he → celebrate → clubhouse
“We’re here for a reason.
asserted
We → ’re → reason
We’re ready to compete.
asserted
We → ’re → ?
We’re here for the long run.”
asserted
We → ’re → run
The Padres made franchise history under rookie manager Craig Stammen, a surprise pick by general manager A.J. Preller to replace Mike Shildt, who suddenly retired less than two weeks after the Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in the wild-card round last season.
asserted
Padres → make → round
The 42-year-old Stammen was hired less than three years after retiring as a player despite having no coaching or managerial experience at any level.
asserted
Stammen → hire → level
He’s been with the organization since 2017 and is best known for starting the deciding Game 3 of the 2020 Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, who at the time were managed by Shildt.
asserted
who → start → Shildt
He pitched 1 2/3 innings as the first of nine pitchers the Padres used in the 4-0 win, which clinched their first postseason series victory since 1998.
asserted
which → pitch → 1998
The Padres popped half a game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 18 after Michael King struck out nine and Miguel Andujar hit a solo homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a 1-0 win at Petco Park on May 18.
uncertain
Andujar → pop → May
But they lost the next night and fell behind the two-time defending World Series champions by double digits by late June.
asserted
they → lose → June
They were 48-48 at the All-Star break and in third place in the division and have gone 41-22 since then.
asserted
They → go → division
They came up with a “pitching chaos” game plan to get them through a difficult period with their rotation, which is still thin without Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, who have missed the whole season.
asserted
who → come → season
Nick Pivetta only recently returned from a long stint on the IL.
asserted
Pivetta → return → IL
Pivetta fired 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Thursday in his eighth career start against the Dodgers, allowing four hits and striking out seven.
asserted
Pivetta → fire → seven
Perhaps the biggest pickup of the offseason was first baseman Ty France, who was signed to a minor league free agent deal and made the team out of spring training, his second stint with the Padres.
asserted
who → sign → Padres
He is from West Covina, California, and played for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State.
asserted
He → play → State
He’s hit a career-high 21 homers and played solid defense.
asserted
He → hit → defense
“I still felt like I had a lot left in the tank and a lot to offer to a team,” France said.
asserted
France → feel → team
“Very grateful and fortunate that it’s here.”
Tatis had an unfathomable home run drought to start the season.
asserted
Tatis → ’ → season
He didn’t hit his first home run until May 30 at Washington, his 56th game.
uncertain
He → hit → Washington
He’s now recorded his fourth 25-homer season and has 38 stolen bases.
asserted
He → record → bases
“We’re one, we’re one,” he said of the team unity.
asserted
he → ’re → unity
“It’s been that way for the whole year and we’re going to keep it that way.
asserted
we → go → it
Infielder Jake Cronenworth has come on strong after missing significant time after getting grazed on the jaw by a 96 mph fastball at Anaheim on April 18, and center fielder Jackson Merrill, like Tatis, is a 25-25 guy.
asserted
Merrill → come → Tatis
Stammen hasn’t been afraid to experiment with the starting lineup, including moving Tatis from right to second for several games after Cronenworth was hurt.
asserted
Cronenworth → experiment → games
Back in right field, Tatis had one of the biggest games of his career on Aug. 18 at the New York Mets when he robbed Francisco Lindor of a grand slam and hit two home runs.
asserted
he → have → runs
The Padres were 58-54 going into the trade deadline on Aug. 3 and Preller not only kept All-Star closer Mason Miller, but added starters Robbie Ray and Casey Mize.
asserted
Preller → go → Ray
“You can never count them out,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said this week.
asserted
Roberts → count → them
“They’re just too talented.”
asserted
They → ’re → ?
___
AP freelance writer Bernie Wilson in San Diego contributed to this report.
asserted
Wilson → contribute → report
The Aporia
