Padres hammer Scherzer, rout Mets 7-1 in playoff opener

By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Bell and Manny Machado smashed two of San Diego’s four home runs off Max Scherzer, and the Padres romped past the New York Mets 7-1 in their playoff opener. Yu Darvish shut down the Mets once again, and San Diego also got long balls from Jurickson Profar and slumping Trent Grisham against an ineffective Scherzer — booed off the mound in the fifth inning at Citi Field. The three-time Cy Young Award winner exited his first postseason start for New York down 7-0, a massive disappointment after Scherzer was signed to a $130 million contract in December. San Diego needs one win over the next two days to take the best-of-three National League wild card series and advance to face the top-seeded Dodgers.