Padres look the part as playoff push returns to SD

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres opened their final homestand of the season before another packed house at Petco Park on Monday night. Then they took a major step toward ensuring these six games won’t be the last games in downtown San Diego this season.

With a series-opening 3-1 victory over the Astros, San Diego moved closer to securing a spot in the postseason -- and added to its lead for the National League’s top Wild Card spot (which would ensure October baseball at Petco Park).

The Dodgers won in Atlanta on Monday, holding the Padres’ deficit in the NL West race at 3 1/2 games. But San Diego gained ground in the two other races worth monitoring.

With the Braves’ loss, the Padres own a 4 1/2 game edge on Atlanta, the first team on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. San Diego’s magic number to clinch a place in the postseason is eight.

Meantime, the Diamondbacks were walked off in Colorado, giving the Padres a 2 1/2-game edge on Arizona for the top Wild Card spot. That, of course, would come with home-field advantage in the Wild Card Series.

Yu Darvish pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits as he made a strong case for his inclusion in a potential Wild Card Series rotation. (It’s a testament to the current state of the rotation that the Padres have so many worthy options.)

Offensively, Luis Arraez bounced back from his first strikeout in 141 plate appearances with two hits, though he came up hobbled after he was thrown out at the plate in the fifth inning. (Arraez remained in the game and doubled in the seventh, but was clearly still affected as he cruised into second and was substituted for a pinch-runner.)

Jurickson Profar had four hits, including a solo homer in the eighth that provided a pivotal insurance run. Jackson Merrill also went deep, launching his 24th home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the fourth inning. Only Hunter Renfroe (26) ever hit more as a Padres rookie.