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 NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

Freddy Fermin , acquired from Kansas City at the trade deadline on July 31, drove the first pitch he saw from Grant Anderson to center field with one out in the 11th, singling in automatic runner Bryce Johnson and setting 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 Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West race and 2½ games behind the idle Chicago Cubs in the race for the National League's first of three wild card spots.

The Padres' road appears to be tougher th

See Full Page