San Diego — The San Diego Padres completed a two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, winning Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series 4-1 to advance to the NL Division Series against the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers.
After a dominant 8-0 shutout in Game 1, the Padres leaned on their bullpen again in the clincher, with relievers allowing just two hits over five and two-thirds scoreless innings.
Sheets delivers the decisive blow
The game turned in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Gavin Sheets came off the bench to smash a pinch-hit, two-run home run that gave San Diego a 4-1 lead — a cushion the Padres never surrendered.
Xander Bogaerts collected two hits and drove in a run, while Jackson Merrill and Ty France each recorded two hits and scored a run. Closer Mason Miller worked a clean ninth for his first career playoff save, and Cubs starter Kevin Gausman took the loss after giving up three runs and five hits over three and a third innings.
Cubs' mighty offence goes quiet
The most striking storyline of the series was the disappearance of the Cubs' offence. Chicago led the majors with 850 runs in the regular season but managed just one run in two games — an RBI single by Nico Hoerner in Game 2. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman went a combined 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts across the series.
San Diego (the fourth seed) now travels to Milwaukee for a best-of-five NLDS against the Brewers, beginning Saturday, October 3.
Sources: Bullpen Carries Padres in Sweep-Sealing Win Over Cubs (Reuters/Field Level Media); 2026 MLB Playoffs Tracker (NBC Sports)
After a dominant 8-0 shutout in Game 1, the Padres leaned on their bullpen again in the clincher, with relievers allowing just two hits over five and two-thirds scoreless innings.
Sheets delivers the decisive blow
The game turned in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Gavin Sheets came off the bench to smash a pinch-hit, two-run home run that gave San Diego a 4-1 lead — a cushion the Padres never surrendered.
Xander Bogaerts collected two hits and drove in a run, while Jackson Merrill and Ty France each recorded two hits and scored a run. Closer Mason Miller worked a clean ninth for his first career playoff save, and Cubs starter Kevin Gausman took the loss after giving up three runs and five hits over three and a third innings.
Cubs' mighty offence goes quiet
The most striking storyline of the series was the disappearance of the Cubs' offence. Chicago led the majors with 850 runs in the regular season but managed just one run in two games — an RBI single by Nico Hoerner in Game 2. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman went a combined 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts across the series.
San Diego (the fourth seed) now travels to Milwaukee for a best-of-five NLDS against the Brewers, beginning Saturday, October 3.
Sources: Bullpen Carries Padres in Sweep-Sealing Win Over Cubs (Reuters/Field Level Media); 2026 MLB Playoffs Tracker (NBC Sports)