Padres and Cubs Battle in Wild Card Decider After Machado’s Heroics
The National League Wild Card Series has turned into the kind of drama fans dream about, and it all comes down to a winner-take-all Game 3 between the Padres and Cubs. After dropping the opener in Chicago, San Diego responded with a huge performance in Game 2, powered by Manny Machado’s bat and a lights-out showing from their bullpen. Now, both clubs are fighting to keep their seasons alive under the bright lights at Wrigley Field.
Game 2 carried the intensity of October baseball from the start. The Padres wasted no time jumping on the board in the first inning. Fernando Tatis Jr. drew a walk, then moved into scoring position before rookie Jackson Merrill lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring him home. That early run was crucial, especially against a Cubs team feeding off the energy of their first postseason in five years.
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But the moment that shifted the entire series came in the fifth inning. With one out and a runner on, Machado stepped into the box against left-hander Shota Imanaga. First base was open, and Cubs manager Craig Counsell had a choice: walk Machado or take his chances. The decision was made to pitch to him, and on the very first offering, a hanging splitter was left over the plate. Machado didn’t miss. He crushed a two-run homer deep into the left-field bleachers, punctuating it with that familiar lean-back follow-through that almost always signals the ball is gone. The Padres’ dugout erupted, Tatis was celebrating between the bases, and suddenly San Diego had all the momentum.
From there, the Padres’ bullpen slammed the door shut. Adrian Morejon came in and set down seven straight hitters, efficient and calm under pressure. Then Mason Miller took over, and the rookie fireballer made history. He struck out five consecutive batters, pumping fastballs over 100 miles per hour and topping out at an astonishing 104.5 mph — the fastest recorded pitch in postseason history. His dominance was breathtaking, and it gave San Diego exactly what they needed: breathing room. Closer Robert Suarez finished the job with a four-out save, and the Padres walked away with a 3-0 win to even the series.
For Chicago, the frustration was clear. The offense managed just four hits all night, never able to solve San Diego’s pitching puzzle. Counsell admitted afterward that perhaps walking Machado would have been the better call, but hindsight doesn’t erase the damage. “The results suggest we should have done something different,” he said.
Now everything comes down to Thursday. Yu Darvish, once a Cub himself, takes the mound for San Diego, while Jameson Taillon gets the ball for Chicago. Both teams know it’s do-or-die, 27 outs standing between heartbreak and a trip to the Division Series.
Machado summed it up best after Game 2: “That’s what postseason is about. Just go out there, compete, enjoy it, and leave it all on the field.” And tonight at Wrigley, one team’s season will end, and the other’s October journey will carry on.
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