Padres Sweep Cubs in Wild Card Series, Advance to NLDS
San Diego avenges last year's loss with a dominant performance, shutting down Chicago's high-powered offense.
The San Diego Padres have advanced to the National League Division Series (NLDS) after sweeping the Chicago Cubs in their Wild Card Series with a 4-1 victory in Game 2. The win at Petco Park provided revenge for the Padres, who were eliminated by the Cubs at Wrigley Field last October.
Chicago's offense, which led MLB in regular-season scoring, managed only one run over 18 postseason innings. The Cubs' offensive struggles were highlighted by presumptive NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts in the series.
After a dominant 8-0 win in Game 1, where Michael King flirted with a no-hitter, the Padres continued their strong performance. San Diego took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Xander Bogaerts drove in Ty France, and 20-year-old catcher Ethan Salas added a sacrifice fly to score Jackson Merrill.
The Cubs showed a glimmer of life in the fourth inning when Seiya Suzuki reached base and Nico Hoerner singled him home, producing their only run of the series and ending Nick Pivetta's outing after 3 1/3 innings. With the tying run on base, Padres manager Craig Stammen brought in Bradgley Rodriguez from the bullpen. Rodriguez escaped a bases-loaded jam, preventing further damage.
The decisive blow came in the bottom of the fourth inning when pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets hit a towering two-run home run to right field, extending the Padres' lead to 4-1. Sheets, who also hit a pinch-hit homer on Opening Day, provided a dramatic lift for San Diego.
From there, the Padres bullpen closed the door. Rodriguez, Jason Adam, Adrián Morejón, and Mason Miller combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings to secure the series victory. The Padres outscored the Cubs 12-1 over the two games.
San Diego now advances to the NLDS for the second time in three years and will face the Milwaukee Brewers, who finished with MLB's best regular-season record, beginning Saturday.
For the Cubs, the early postseason exit is a stinging disappointment, particularly for an offense built for power that faltered when it mattered most. The team's pitching will require attention in the offseason, but the offensive collapse in October will likely be a more persistent concern.