The Cubs and Padres faced off in the rubber match of their three-game set at Petco Park Wednesday afternoon. Chicago missed out on an early scoring opportunity and San Diego played small ball to win the series.
The North Siders had a golden chance to score in the 3rd inning when they loaded the bases on Nick Pivetta with nobody out and Kyle Tucker at the plate. Tucker hit a sacrifice fly, but then the returning Seiya Suzuki rapped into a double play to end the threat with the road team ahead just 1-0.
San Diego rallied in the bottom of the frame against Matthew Boyd with a walk and a single to put runners on the corners with one down. Fernando Tatís Jr. and Manny Machado each had RBI singles to put their squad in front 2-1.
Machado doubled home a very important insurance run against Daniel Palencia in the 7th to increase the lead to 3-1. Pete Crow-Armstrong cracked an 8th inning solo home run off Wandy Peralta to cut the deficit to 3-2.
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Luke Little came on in relief in the bottom of the 8th and walked four batters to force in a run and make it 4-2. Chicago went quietly in the 9th inning as the Pads won 4-2. (Box score)
Key Moment
As Pat Hughes would say, the bases loaded situation in the 3rd inning was a turning point in the game. The Cubs failed to capitalize and did not have a better chance for the rest of the afternoon.
Why the Cubs Lost
They struggled all series to hit with runners in scoring position and it cost them on Wednesday. The pitching staff continues to struggle with control, walking opposing batters at a high rate.
Stats That Matter
- Boyd had to work hard in a couple of jams, but he also had some bad luck with infield hits: 5.1 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 3 K, 2 BB.
- Ian Happ had three hits, which was nice to see after a slow start to the season.
- PCA continues to hit the ball for extra bases.
Bottom Line
The Cubs held their own against the Dodgers and the Padres during this trip. That is a very good sign going forward but there are some issues that will need to be addressed. Chicago most definitely needs some help with the bullpen and another starting pitcher. That being said, they have absolutely put themselves in a position to succeed for the rest of the season by keeping above water during this grueling schedule.
On Deck
The Cubs have a day off on Thursday before heading home to Wrigley for three against the Diamondbacks starting Friday at 1:20pm CT. Ben Brown and Corbin Burnes will get the starts in a game broadcast on Marquee with radio coverage on 670 The Score.
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