Padres all bubbly for playoff berth

Dramatic extra-innings win over the Brewers triggers celebration at Petco Park for return to postseason.

- BERNIE WILSON

MANNY MACHADO, left, and Xander Bogaerts let loose after Monday's 5-4 victory secured at least a wild-card playoff spot.

(GREGORY BULL Associated Press)

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres are headed back to the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons.

The Padres clinched a playoff berth with a 5-4, 11-inning win against the three-time National League-Central champion Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

Freddy Fermin, acquired from Kansas City at the trade deadline on July 31, singled in automatic runner Bryce Johnson with one out in the 11th to set off a wild celebration in front of a sellout crowd of 42,371 at Petco Park.

The Padres pulled within 2½ games of the idle Dodgers in the NL West race entering Tuesday and 2½ games behind the idle Chicago.

Cubs in the race for the first of three NL wild-card spots.