SAN DIEGO – There was no comeback magic to be had on Tuesday night at Petco Park, as the San Diego Padres saw the game slip out of reach once the Chicago Cubs got to the bullpen in an 8-3 loss.
Xander Bogaerts hit a solo home run and scored a run, while Ty France collected a pair of hits with an RBI, but San Diego’s (19-10) bullpen combined to allow six runs as Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a key three-run home run late for Chicago (18-12).
Over the past six games, Padres pitchers have given up eight or more runs four times, with the bullpen getting rocked for 24 runs on 34 hits and eight walks in 22 2/3 innings pitched. The unit posted an 8.84 ERA over the stretch, elevated from 3.82 for the season, with opponents hitting .358 against San Diego relievers up from the season average of .242.
The major damage by the Cubs came in the four-run seventh inning, where Wandy Peralta replaced David Morgan after a leadoff walk. Chicago worked it to men on first and third with two outs, when Alex Bregman pinch hit for Nicky Lopez and hit an RBI single. Then Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run home run to straight away center field on a changeup left out over the heart of the plate.
"That's a really good ball club over there, we played well too, but it's hard to fall behind those guys, give them free passes and give them good counts to hit," said bench coach Randy Knorr, who filled in for Craig Stammen postgame as the manager had to leave the game late to catch a flight for personal reasons.
Leading off the second inning Bogaerts, batting in the cleanup spot, turned on an up-and-in fastball on the first offering from Chicago starter Edward Cabrera. The towering fly down the left field line landed the upper level of the Western Metal & Supply building for Bogaerts’ team-leading fifth home run of the season.
His next time in the fourth, Bogaerts worked a nine-pitch walk which included a pair of ABS challenges that turned called strikes into balls. He then stole second base, and came home when Ty France singled back up the middle — France has collected RBI in three straight, driving in seven of his eight for the season over the stretch.
But the Cubs retook the lead in the sixth after reliever Kyle Hart allowed a lead off single and, with a fielder’s choice in between that cut down the lead runner, walked Crow-Armstrong. Morgan came out of the pen and uncorked a sinker that got away for a wild pitch to move both base runners to scoring position, then Nico Hoerner hit a two-RBI double. Hart would be charged with both runs, and took the loss.
The Padres responded with France notching his second hit of the game, poking a two-out single through the left side. After Gavin Sheets got hit by a pitch, Luis Campusano pulled an elevated changeup for a single down the left field line to score France. It gave Campusano his second three-game RBI streak of the season, as the catcher has driven in runs in nine of his 13 games in April.
That was the only damage the Brown and Gold could get to Cabrera for, who picked up his third win of the season by going 5 2/3 innings and allowing three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk.
Walker Buehler pitched through traffic for the majority of the night, lasting 4 2/3 innings and throwing 92 pitches as he allowed a pair of runs on three hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
"Walker did a great job for us tonight, he kept us in the game for five and that all we can ask from him," Knorr said. "I believe starters, if they can give us five-six innings of three or less runs that our ballclub can come back and win that game."
The Cubs took advantage of a pair of walks to start the second, as with one out Dansby Swanson lined a sinker to the wall in left center field for a two RBI double. Buehler was able to leave hit stranded at third by striking out Crow-Armstrong and getting Matt Shaw to pop out.
Then against the following inning Chicago loaded the bases with two outs, aided in big part by Ian Happ reaching on a Ty France error, but Buehler was able to escape by inducing a Carson Kelly ground out. His night came to a close two innings later, as Seiya Suzuki singled with two outs and Ian Happ got hit by a knucklecurve, with Hart coming in to get the final out by strikeout.
Manny Machado was not in the starting lineup after being removed from the game on Monday due to cramping in his left calf. Jake Cronenworth started at third base, his first time playing his collegiate position in the Majors since 2020. Knorr said that they would talk with Machado after the game to see where he's at about potentially returning to the lineup.
The rubber match will see Matt Waldron make his third start of the season, going against right-hander Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.55 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. on Wednesday at Petco Park.