BREAKING: The San Diego Padres have secured a crucial victory, defeating the Chicago Cubs 3-0 in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series on October 4, 2023. This win forces a decisive third game, set for tomorrow at Wrigley Field.
With their postseason hopes on the line, the Padres rallied behind Manny Machado, who launched a two-run homer, and the dominant pitching of Mason Miller. The team avoided elimination after losing Game 1 3-1 on Tuesday.
The game started with a bang as Jackson Merrill drove in Fernando Tatis Jr. with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Chicago’s opener, Andrew Kittredge, was replaced by Shota Imanaga in the second inning, but the Cubs couldn’t find their rhythm.
In the fifth inning, Machado’s powerful 404-foot homer added two more runs, bringing his playoff total to 12. “We came here to fight, and we showed that tonight,” Machado said after the game.
The Cubs, making their first playoff appearance in five years, struggled at the plate, finishing with only four hits. They threatened in the fourth with runners on first and second, but Adrian Morejon stepped up, retiring Pete Crow-Armstrong to end the inning.
Miller was a standout, striking out five consecutive batters and hitting a postseason-record speed of 104.5 mph. “His performance was electric, a game-changer,” said Padres manager Bob Melvin. Miller’s eight consecutive strikeouts in the postseason tied the record previously set by Josh Hader in 2022.
The Padres’ bullpen, featuring Miller and Robert Suarez, was near flawless, combining for an impressive display that kept the Cubs at bay.
Looking ahead, Yu Darvish will take the mound for San Diego in the decisive Game 3. The Cubs have not yet announced their starter. Darvish, who previously played with Chicago, expressed his enthusiasm for pitching at Wrigley: “This place did me good,” he stated through a translator.
As the Padres aim for a repeat of their 2020 playoff success, fans are on the edge of their seats, eager to see if they can advance once again. Game 3 promises to be a thrilling showdown, with everything on the line.
Stay tuned for live updates as the action unfolds tomorrow!
