Dodgers could be foiled by familiar foe

Seeing the booze-drenched celebration around him through the tinted lenses of his eyewear, Manny Machado suddenly recalled he’d done this before.Two years ago, in this very locker room at Dodger Stadium, he’d celebrated the San Diego Padres’ entry into the playoffs.“Last time didn’t work out too well for us, though,” said Machado, the seven-time All-Star third baseman.Last time, soon after they sprayed sparkling wine and cheap beer on each other, the Padres ran into the Dodgers in a National League Division Series.They were eliminated in five games.

Dodgers players and officials later said the Padres were the best opponent they faced on their way to a World Series championship, but that didn’t make the defeat any less painful. Big brother beat up little brother again.“Hopefully,” Machado said, “this is different.”In the wake of a three games series in Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers know it can be different.“They’re just a very talented team,” manager Dave Roberts said.“I was never going to count those guys out.”By claiming the last two games of the series, including a 4-2 win on Thursday that secured them one of the NL’s three wild-card spots, the Padres made themselves a team the Dodgers don’t want to run into in October, particularly in a best-of-five Division Series that would minimize the two-time defending World Series champion’s advantage in depth. For the Dodgers, their saving grace could be that while another NLDS showdown is possible, it’s also unlikely.The Dodgers clinched a first-round bye earlier in the day when the Atlanta Braves lost to the Cincinnati Reds.

If the Dodgers remain the NL’s No.2 seed, they would play the winner of a Wild Card Series between the Braves and the No.

6 seed.The Padres are currently the No.4 seed, meaning they would play the No.

5 seed in the Wild Card round.But the Padres finish the regular season against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have an outside chance of catching the Philadel...