SAN DIEGO — September 29, 2026: The San Diego Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 8–0 in Game 1 of their National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park, taking a 1–0 lead in the best-of-three matchup.
Starter Michael King allowed one infield hit, and three Padres pitchers combined to hold Chicago to three hits. The Cubs did not score despite loading the bases against Joe Musgrove in the ninth inning.
San Diego took control immediately
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit the first pitch he saw for a home run, and Manny Machado followed with another solo homer later in the first inning. Chicago starter Matthew Boyd allowed three solo home runs as San Diego built an early lead.
The Padres expanded the margin with a three-run fifth inning against Javier Assad and Ryan Rolison. Tatis later singled, stole a base and scored with help from a defensive error in the seventh. The sequence turned an already strong pitching performance into the most lopsided result of Tuesday’s four Wild Card openers.
What the result changes
San Diego needs one more victory to advance. Chicago must win Game 2 to extend its season. Because this is a short series, the Padres’ shutout also allowed them to avoid using several relievers in a close-game situation.
Musgrove’s ninth-inning appearance was his first major-league game action since 2024 after missing two seasons. His return did not affect the decision, but it added a significant roster development to a completed postseason result.
AskNovus is tracking each completed Wild Card opener, including the Yankees’ 9–0 win over Boston.
Featured image is an illustrative baseball photograph and does not depict this game.
Sources and image credit
- MLB video and game listing, September 29, 2026
- Bleed Cubbie Blue final recap, September 30, 2026
- Photo by Ryan Hoffman on Unsplash