Braves vs. Padres: Live stream, how to watch NL Wild Card Game 2 for free

After becoming the only home team to win Game 1 of their Wild Card Series on Tuesday, the Padres will look to win their best-of-three series against the Braves on Wednesday night at Petco Park and advance to the NLDS.

San Diego won Game 1 4-0 behind a home run from Fernando Tatis Jr. and 12 strikeouts from Michael King on Tuesday. As the Padres look to secure their third Division Series berth since 2020, they send veteran righty Joe Musgrove (6-5, 3.88 ERA) to face Braves lefty Max Fried (11-10, 3.25). ERA) that will try to save Atlanta season.

The first pitch is at 8:38 p.m. ET and will the game continue to be broadcast? ESPN2. Fans who want to watch this postseason game can do so for free FuboTV or DirecTV streamboth of which offer a free trial. while FuboTV also offers $30 off your first month.

SlingTV does not offer a free trial, but does offer special offers to stream the game. Cable subscribers can also log in and watch ESPN+.

• WATCH THE GAME HERE FOR FREE

WHO: Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres (NL Wild Card Series, Game 2)

When: Wednesday, October 2nd – 8:38 p.m. ET

Where: Petco Park in San Diego, California

Electricity: FuboTV (free trial + $30 off); Loop; DirecTV Stream; ESPN+

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a massive two-run home run in his first playoff swing in four years and Michael King struck out 12 in his first postseason start as the San Diego Padres signed rookie A.J Smith-Shawver and the Atlanta defeated Braves 4-0 in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card Series on Tuesday night.

Tatis' 415-foot shot landed in the second deck of left field at Petco Park, sending the towel-waving, sellout crowd of 47,647 into a frenzy. The 25-year-old star, who was out for just over two and a half months this season with a stress reaction in his right femur, watched the ball fly away, tossed his stick to the side, gestured toward the home bench and did his trademark stutter-step the third base.

Game 2 in the best-of-three playoff is Wednesday night. If the Padres win the series, they will face their biggest rival, the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, in the National League Division Series. The Padres eliminated the Dodgers by 111 wins in a 2022 NLDS.

King was brilliant as he became the first pitcher to have 12 strikeouts with no runs and no walks in his first postseason career start. He joined Kevin Brown and Sterling Hitchcock as the only Padres pitchers with double-digit strikeout games in playoff history. He allowed five hits and allowed none.

King made his playoff debut with the New York Yankees in the AL playoff bubble in 2020 at eerily empty Petco Park, where the only “fans” were a few thousand cardboard cutouts. He pitched two innings in a loss in Game 3 of a Division Series that Tampa Bay won in five games.

The right-hander arrived in the blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees on December 7th.

The Padres were the only one of the four home teams to win on Tuesday.

The Braves secured a playoff spot by winning the second game of a makeup doubleheader against the New York Mets in Atlanta on Monday. They will be without NL Cy Young Award favorite Chris Sale in this series. The left-hander was scratched from Monday's late game with cramps.

Tatis hit a home run on a 94-mph four-run off the 21-year-old Smith-Shawyer, one of the Braves' top prospects making his first playoff start and just his second of the season.

Luis Arraez had a leadoff single. Arraez, acquired in a trade with Miami in early May, became the first player since the 1800s to win three batting titles with three different teams.

Tatis experienced his first playoff game with fans in the stands. He played his first playoffs in 2020 after the pandemic-shortened season. He missed the 2022 National League Championship Series after receiving an 80-game PED suspension from MLB in August.

His home run came on the anniversary of his two home runs in 2020 in a Wild Card Series game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Mike Shildt, who led the Padres in his first season, was St. Louis' captain at the time.

Kyle Higashioka hit a home run in the eighth and a sacrifice fly in the second. He is 3-for-30 against Atlanta with three home runs.

Smith-Shawver allowed three runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings

Manager Brian Snitker said Smith-Shawver didn't know he would start until the manager called him Tuesday morning.

“It may have been a shock when we put him on the plane last night,” Snitker said.

TRAINING ROOM

Braves: Snitker said he spoke with Sale on Tuesday. “He's not really doing well. He wanted to be here and pitch. Unfortunately he can't. It's hard for him. He was realistic with us about his feelings.”

NEXT

Braves LHP Max Fried (11-10, 3.25 ERA) and Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (6-5, 3.88) are scheduled to start Wednesday night. Fried is a former Padres farmhand. Musgrove grew up in a suburb of El Cajon.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.