Cubs 3, Padres 1

A packed Wrigley Field on a warm Tuesday afternoon in Chicago saw the Chicago Cubs face the San Diego Padres and win in Game One of the three-game Wild Card series in the Cubs’ first postseason appearance since 2020. The Cubs defeated in Padres 3-1 off the backs of back-to-back home runs from Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly in the fifth inning. The Cubs go up 1-0 in the series and will look to eliminate the Padres on Wednesday in Chicago. Chicago will look to win their first playoff series since 2017.

Cubs – Padres Game Summary

In a primarily defensive battle, both the Padres and the Cubs used numerous relievers to support the strong outings from Matthew Boyd and Nick Pivetta. Boyd, using a mix of his four-seam fastball, changeup, and occasional slider, hurled 4 1/3 innings with four hits, one earned run, and two strikeouts. Pivetta notched four strong innings before allowing back-to-back home runs to Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly. Pivetta was replaced in the fifth, recording two earned runs and a whopping nine strikeouts.

Padres Open the Scoring in Game One, but the Cubs Respond to Win

The Padres opened up the scoring with doubles from Jackson Merrill and an RBI double from Xander Bogaerts in the second. The Cubs’ offense was quiet until the fifth inning, only recording one hit before the back-to-back home runs gave them a 2-1 lead. Chicago would add some insurance in the eighth off a single from Dansby Swanson, and sacrifices from Matt Shaw and Michael Busch to push to lead to 3-1.

What Went Right for the Cubs

Clutch Hitting

In a game that felt like it would be decided by bullpens, Chicago’s hottest hitters stepped up when they needed it most. Seiya Suzuki launched his sixth home run in five games to even the score at one. Suzuki is only the fourth player in MLB history to homer in his last four regular-season games as well as his first postseason game. Carson Kelly would follow Suzuki’s solo home run with one of his own, blasting one to left-center field in the next at-bat. Nico Hoerner recorded two singles as well, and a sacrifice fly that would ultimately make the ball game 3-1.

Impressive Bullpen

Chicago’s bullpen retired the last 14 batters of the game, following Matthew Boyd’s strong outing. Daniel Palenica recorded two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge, and Brad Keller each pitched an inning, allowing zero base runners. Chicago should be impressed with their bullpen in this defensive battle. Manager Craig Counsell called the bullpen outing “perfect” and said his boys did a “brilliant job” in his postgame press conference.

Management Decisions

Craig Counsell made the right call pulling Matthew Boyd in the fifth and relying on his arms in the bullpen to close out Game One. Boyd was about to face the San Diego lineup for the third time, something unusual in recent postseason baseball. Counsell’s trust in his bullpen proved to be the decider for the Cubs in their Game One win.

What Went Wrong for the Cubs

Stagnant Offense

Besides the two home runs, Chicago’s offense looked bleak. The Padres’ pitching staff made the Cubs swing at numerous balls outside the zone. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, who missed 20 games in September due to a calf injury, continued their offensive struggles. Crow-Armstrong went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, and Tucker did not record a hit either. Chicago will need their power hitters to step up against San Diego if they want to go deeper into the postseason for a chance at the pennant.

What Went Right for the Padres

Xander Bogaerts

Xander Bogaerts was the Padres’ sole hitter with multiple hits. He had an RBI double in the second to put the Padres ahead and recorded an infield single to third in the fourth. Bogaerts, a seasoned veteran with playoff experience, had a good performance in an otherwise quiet game offensively.

Starting Pitching

Nick Pivetta had a solid outing, striking out nine Cubs over five innings. He had good control of his breaking balls, making his opponents chase balls outside the zone. Pivetta also had no problem pumping up the velocity with his fastballs, especially when behind in the count. Pivetta recorded 11/18 first pitch strikes and gave Cub hitters trouble all game.

What Went Wrong for the Padres

Nonexistent Offense

Outside of the second inning, the Padres were unable to plate any runs. San Diego recorded 14 straight outs to end the game and only managed four hits in the entire game. Leaders like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jake Cronenworth all failed to record a hit. San Diego will certainly need to get their bats going to even this series.

Quick Hits

The last time the Cubs won a playoff series was 2017. This win was their first postseason victory at Wrigley Field since Game Four of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017. This Game One win inches the Cubs closer to a collision course with the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. The Cubs had the sixth-best record at home this season and the fourth-best record away from Wrigley Field. The Cubs hope to close out the Wild Card round with a win in front of their home fans– fans dying for another World Series run.

Padres manager, Mike Shildt is optimistic about Games Two and Three, if necessary. He noted in his postgame press conference, “Our clubhouse right now is disappointed, but nobody is hanging their head. This is a good ball club that knows what they’re capable of doing and is eager to show up and go compete tomorrow.”

Looking Ahead After Cubs Win Game One

The Cubs and Padres will play once again tomorrow, October 1, at 3 pm, again at Wrigley Field. Probable starting pitchers will be Andrew Kittredge for the Cubs and Dylan Cease for the Padres. It is important to note, however, that Craig Counsell has not named a Game Two starter, per his postgame press conference. San Diego will look to force a winner-take-all Game Three, and the Cubs will look to advance to the NLDS with a win tomorrow.