Cubs-Padres Game 2 takeaways: Manny Machado, Padres pitchers lock in to stave off elimination
By Dennis Lin, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma
CHICAGO — Behind a two-run homer by third baseman Manny Machado and a high-octane performance from his pitching staff, the San Diego Padres muscled their way to a 3-0 shutout of the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. The blanking leveled this National League Wild Card Series at one game apiece, setting up a winner-take-all showdown on Thursday while suggesting that the Padres hold at least a slight edge in star power. The Cubs can take some comfort in the possibility that, after dominant showings in Games 1 and 2, relievers Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon will be unavailable in the series decider.
Padres stars arrive in October in style
The Padres entered Tuesday having scored one run over their past 33 postseason innings. The harsh spotlight for their October failures shone on such players as Machado, a franchise cornerstone, and Dylan Cease, who threw a no-hitter last summer but twice crumbled against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 National League Division Series.
