The Padres aren’t merely sneaking up to the postseason party. They’re kicking down the door. San Diego has won 13 of 14. No team in baseball is hotter. Not all that long ago, the Padres were on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in. Now -- after Sunday’s 7-3 victory over the Marlins -- they’re on the verge of a clinch. Here’s some instant reaction from Petco Park: **Champagne on ice** In their 58-season existence, the Padres have never reached the postseason in three straight years. They can snap that drought as soon as Tuesday night. Their magic number is two. San Diego and Arizona are both off on Monday. Which means the only way the Padres can clinch on Tuesday is with a win over the Dodgers and a Diamondbacks loss in Colorado. But at this point, the Padres have long since turned their attention past simply reaching the postseason. They want the top Wild Card spot -- and with it, the chance to host a Wild Card Series. On that front, the Padres kept pace with the Cubs, who also won on Sunday. They’re both 87-69, though the Cubs hold the tiebreaker, having won the season series. The Phillies (86-70) also won, and they remain a game back, in the third Wild Card spot. “We’re looking forward to winning ballgames,” said Fernando Tatis Jr., who launched his 25th home run on Sunday. “There’s still a lot in play. Even when we clinch, we’re trying to get a series over here in the playoffs. Still a lot in play. We still have homework to do.”
