Ty France's 3-run homer helps Padres to 8-2 win over Marlins and into tie for top NL wild-card spot

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ty France hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run rally in the fifth inning and the San Diego Padres beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Friday night to pull into a tie with Philadelphia and Chicago for the top National League wild card.

The Cubs and Phillies both lost just around first pitch in San Diego. Then the Padres erased a 1-0 deficit to win for the 11th time in 12 games.

Although Chicago, Philadelphia and San Diego are even at 85-69 for the three NL wild cards, the Padres would lose tiebreakers against the Cubs and Phillies in the race for the No. 1 spot and the right to host an opening round. The Cubs beat the Padres 2-1 in the wild-card round in Chicago last season.

Miami (76-78) was eliminated from the postseason race.

France, who signed a minor league deal during spring training, hit the first pitch he saw from reliever Tyler Zuber off the balcony on the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner with two outs in the fifth to bring in Fernando Tatis Jr. and Dustin Harris to make it 6-1.

France paused for a moment to watch his career-high 21st homer sail away and then tossed his bat and began his trot. France played at San Diego State for Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and is in his second stint with the Padres.

Tatis hit an RBI single with the bases loaded and one out, and Harris followed with a two-run single.

Agustín Ramírez, Miami's No. 9 batter, lined a homer off Nick Pivetta into the seats in left field with one out in the third, his fifth.

That was the only big mistake by Pivetta (3-2), who allowed one run and four hits in five innings while striking out four and walking one.

San Diego's Jackson Merrill homered in the eighth, his 26th.

Cade Gibson (5-2) took the loss in relief.

Marlins RHP Eury Pérez (7-11, 3.99 ERA) and Padres RHP Casey Mize (6-9, 3.69) are scheduled to start Saturday night.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill celebrates after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill, center, celebrates after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Ty France, right, celebrates with Fernando Tatis Jr. after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Ty France, right, celebrates with teammate Manny Machado after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Ty France celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

PHOENIX (AP) — Ben Rice hit his 39th homer of the season, Gerrit Cole became the winningest No. 1 overall draft pick and the New York Yankees used a five-run first inning to take control early and beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-2 on Friday night.

After learning three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge was headed back to the injured list with a right calf strain, the Yankees won for the eighth time in 10 games. New York, which has already clinched a playoff spot, is four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East with nine games remaining.

The D-backs' have lost three straight and their playoff hopes are in major trouble. They're five games back of the final NL wild card with eight games left.

New York's first five batters reached against D-backs' All-Star left hander Eduardo Rodriguez and George Lombard Jr.'s two-run single made it 5-0. Lombard added a solo homer in the sixth and finished with three RBIs.

Cole (9-9) bounced back from a pair of starts that saw him surrender seven homers — the most he's ever given up over a two-game span. He gave up two runs and four hits in six innings, striking out six.

Selected first by Pittsburgh in 2011, Cole won his 162nd game. That is one more than Mike Moore, picked No. 1 by Seattle in 1981.

Rodriguez (15-7) picked a bad time to have arguably his worst start this season, needing 45 pitches to get three outs, his career high for a first inning. He gave up seven runs, five hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Corbin Carroll hit a two-run homer to cut the deficit to 5-2 in the second. Rice's solo homer in the third pushed the Yankees ahead 6-2.

The D-backs send RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-3, 3.77 ERA) to the mound Saturday night while the Yankees counter with RHP Cam Schlittler (14-6, 1.95).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll, left, celebrates his two-run home run against the New York Yankees with Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo (2) during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Injured New York Yankees' Aaron Judge sits with teammates in the dugout during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez sits in the team dugout after the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New York Yankees' Ben Rice, right, celebrates his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Yankees' Spencer Jones (78) during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)