Fernando Tatis Jr. launched the first leadoff home run in Padres playoff history on the opening pitch of Tuesday’s NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs, sparking an 8-0 rout at Petco Park. Tatis’s blast set the tone immediately as San Diego’s offense overwhelmed Chicago, while Michael King took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, combining for a dominant postseason statement.
Tatis connected on a 405-foot homer to center field off Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, echoing his first-inning homer against Atlanta in last year’s Wild Card Series. Manny Machado followed moments later with a solo shot of his own, his ninth postseason home run, also off a changeup from Boyd. The Padres piled on early with Xander Bogaerts adding a homer in the fourth inning and Jackson Merrill driving in two runs with a fifth-inning single, helping build a commanding lead.
King’s pitching was equally impressive, striking out eight batters over seven innings while shutting down the major league’s highest-scoring offense. He started by striking out probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong on three pitches and only surrendered one hit—a seventh-inning infield single by Nico Hoerner. King’s performance earned multiple standing ovations from the sellout crowd as he kept Chicago hitless deep into the game.
Chicago’s offense only briefly stirred in the ninth inning against Joe Musgrove, who was making his first major league appearance since October 2, 2024, returning from Tommy John surgery. The Cubs managed two singles and a walk before Musgrove struck out pinch-hitter Michael Conforto to preserve the shutout.
San Diego’s early scoring burst outpaced their output from the entire 2024 Wild Card Series in Chicago. The Padres scored more runs in the first five innings Tuesday than they did across all three games last year at Wrigley Field, signaling a shift in momentum in this postseason rematch.
After Tatis’s leadoff homer, Machado’s double in the third brought Tatis home from first base. Bogaerts then lined a full-count changeup over the Western Metal Supply Co. building above left field for his homer, adding to the Padres’ growing lead. The fifth inning saw the bases loaded against reliever Javier Assad, where Merrill’s two-run single and a passed ball allowed Ty France to score, widening the margin further.
King faced some minor trouble in the seventh but escaped with critical strikeouts. Hoerner’s single came on a grounder that Machado struggled to field cleanly, preventing a potential double play. Tatis added to his impact in the seventh by singling, stealing second, and scoring on a throw that slipped into center field, sliding headfirst past the tag to score his third run of the night.
The Padres finished the 2024 regular season with the sixth-best record in the majors, two wins better than Chicago, while setting franchise records with their third straight playoff berth and fifth consecutive winning season. They entered the postseason on a 17-3 run, continuing their momentum with this convincing opener.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Petco Park. Nick Pivetta is set to start for the Padres in his fifth game after returning from a right elbow injury, while Kevin Gausman will pitch for the Cubs.
The winner of this best-of-three Wild Card Series will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the Division Series.
According to Yahoo Sports.