Freddy Fermin’s single in the bottom of the 11th inning scored Bryce Johnson with the winning run, as the San Diego Padres came back to beat the NL-best Milwaukee Brewers 5-4- sending the Pads to their 4th playoff berth in 6 years & sending 40,000+ fans into a frenzy at sold-out Petco Park.

Jose Iglesias sacrifice bunt moved Johnson to 3rd with 1 out, bringing Fermin to the plate. Iglesias had already homered, singled, walked & scored.

Padres’ reliever Bradgley Rodriguez escaped a bases-loaded jam with 1-out in the top of the 11th with a double play to send it to the home half of the inning & set the stage for the walkoff.

Gavin Sheets’ fielder’s choice ground-out scored Luis Arraez to tie the game at 4 in the bottom of the 10th. Brewers reliever Rob Zastryzny intentionally walked Manny Machado to put runners in 1st & 2nd. Jackson Merrill grounded into a 4-3 force-out, using his speed to beat the return throw. Sheets drove in the run, & Johnson grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Sal Frelick’s ground ball to short off Adrian Morejon scored automatic runner Brice Turang on a bang-bang play at the plate & gave Milwaukee the 4-3 lead in the 10th.

Bryce Johnson made a brilliant diving catch to rob Christian Yelich of extra bases leading off the 9th against Robert Suarez, who struck out Jackson Chirio & Tarang to end the 1-2-3 inning.

Jeremiah Estrada struck out Joey Ortiz with 2 outs & runners on 2nd & 3rd to end the top of the 8th. Padres’ pitchers walked 7 Brewers’ hitters.

Arraez’s 2-out single scored Iglesias with the tying run in the 7th, after back-to-back walks to Iglesias & pinch-hitter Ramon Laureano. Iglesias’ walk snapped a streak of 8 straight Pads hitters retired by the Brewers.

The Padres scored 1 in the 5th on Iglesias’ 1st homer at Petco Park as a Padre. Iglesias also singled, & walked- scoring 2 of the Padres 3 runs.

Manny Machado scored on a balk in the bottom of the 1st, giving the Pads a 1-0 lead.

Caleb Durbin’s RBI single & Christian Yelich’s 2-run single off Nick Pivetta in the 2nd put the Brewers up 3-1. Pivetta went 5 2/3 innings, giving up 4 hits & 3 earned runs- striking out 5 & walking 5.

Arraez’s single extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

The Pads’ bullpen was fantastic again tonight, with 6 relievers throwing 5 1/3 beautiful innings in back of Pivetta. with their lone run coming in the 10th, when the auto-runner scored on Morejon on a fly-out/tag-up & a fielder’s choice in the 11th.

The Padres were without Fernando Tatis Jr., who missed the game with an illness.

***** ‘LIVE’ Instant Post-Game Reaction from Jim “GRIES” Grieshaber

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The Pads & Brewers play game 2 of this 3-game series tomorrow at Petco Park, with 1st pitch at 6:40 pm PT.

The Padres will give the ball to RHP Randy Vasquez. (5-7, 2.94 ERA) The Brewers are will go with LHP Brice Zimmerman. (1st start of 2025)

We will be here right after the game with your PADRES POSTCAST, hosted by Jim "Gries" Grieshaber.

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