Los Padres de San Diego lograron la hazaña al triunfar 3-0 en este segundo juego de la Serie de Comodín ante los Cachorros de Chicago
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In a must-win scenario, the San Diego Padres delivered when it mattered most, shutting out the Chicago Cubs 3-0 in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series. Fueled by a clutch home run from Manny Machado and a dominant showing from their bullpen, the Padres silenced doubters and evened the best-of-three series, sending it to a thrilling Game 3 showdown
After a disappointing Game 1 loss, the Padres entered Thursday’s game with no margin for error. The pressure was on both the veterans and young talents of San Diego, who needed a win to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Manager Mike Shildt turned to right-hander Dylan Cease to start the game. While Cease didn’t go deep into the outing, he gave the Padres exactly what they needed — a scoreless 3⅔ innings, allowing just three hits and striking out five. It was a gritty performance that set the tone for what would be a pitching masterclass by San Diego.
San Diego wasted little time getting on the board. In the bottom of the first, Fernando Tatis Jr. drew a walk, advanced on a ground ball, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Merrill giving the Padres a 1-0 lead. That early run gave the team momentum and brought the Petco Park crowd to life.
In the fifth inning, it was Manny Machado who stepped up to blow the game open. With one on and one out, Machado crushed a fastball into the left field seats for a two-run home run, extending San Diego’s lead to 3-0. It was his first homer of the postseason and a much-needed statement from the veteran third baseman.
That’s what leaders do,” said manager Mike Shildt. Manny stepped up in a big way.
If there was one area where the Padres truly shined, it was their bullpen. After Cease’s exit, San Diego’s relief corps combined to throw 5⅓ innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit.
Left-hander Adrián Morejón was particularly effective, retiring all seven batters he faced across 2⅓ innings. He pounded the strike zone and kept Cubs hitters off balance with a mix of mid-90s fastballs and breaking pitches.
But the highlight of the night came in the form of Mason Miller, whose blistering fastball set a new postseason record. Entering in the eighth inning, Miller struck out five of the six batters he faced, routinely hitting triple digits. His 104.5 mph heater broke the previous postseason velocity record and left fans, teammates, and opponents in awe.
“That’s just special,” Machado said. You don’t see that kind of stuff every day — not even in the big leagues.
Closer Robert Suárez came in to seal the deal in the ninth, allowing one hit but inducing a game-ending double play that sent Petco Park into a frenzy.
The Cubs, who won Game 1 of the series, struggled to find offense all night. Despite a couple of early scoring opportunities, they failed to capitalize, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Chicago starter Jordan Wicks pitched well enough to keep his team in the game, but the offense never gave him a chance to compete. Frustrations mounted as the Cubs’ top hitters — including Nico Hoerner and Cody Bellinger — went quiet against San Diego’s deep pitching staff.
“We just couldn’t get anything going,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Tip your cap to their arms — they executed, and we didn’t.
With the series now tied 1-1, everything comes down to Game 3. Both teams will go all-in, knowing that one win means a ticket to the National League Division Series — and one loss ends their season.
San Diego’s victory has shifted the momentum. What was shaping up to be a quiet postseason exit for the Padres has now turned into an opportunity for redemption.