It’s not over until it’s over. But it’s over.
The Cubs lost Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series 4-1 to the San Diego Padres. The Brothers advance to the Division Series and eliminate the Cubs, 2 games to 0.
The Cubs came out just as quietly as in the first game, with the team falling down in order, striking out two, in the first inning. Cubs starter Kevin Gausman, a pitcher with an injured left shoulder and not a pitcher, got off to a better start than Matthew Boyd the previous game, retiring the Padres in order in the first.
The problems started in the second inning for Gausman, who allowed a double to Ty France down the left field line. Then Jackson Merrill hit a slow roller to shortstop Dansby Swanson who had no choice but to eat the ball, putting runners on first and third and with no outs. After Merrill stole second, Xander Bogaerts hit a single to right field to make it 1-0. Then, a sac fly from the rookie catcher made the score 2-0. Gausman then got two runs to stop the bleeding, but with the Cubs offense stuck in the park, 2-0 seemed like a tall mountain to climb.
But the Cubs had chances. Matt Shaw walked and Carson Kelly singled to start the third inning to put runners on first and second with no outs. But Dansby Swanson was pulled, Pete Crow-Armstrong popped up and Alex Bregman flew out to end this rally before it even started.
The Cubs would finally break through, sort of, in the fourth inning. After Michael Busch flew out to start the inning, three consecutive baserunners reached the Cubs, leading to their first run of the series. Seiya Suzuki singled, Ian Happ walked, then Nico Hoerner singled off Suzuki.
At this point, Padres manager Craig Stammen removed Pivetta in favor of Bradgley Rodriguez. He shut down the Cubs and they couldn’t push the tying run across home plate, even after Kelly was hit to load the bases with two outs.
But the Padres fought back in the bottom of the fourth. After Bogaerts doubled with one out, manager Craig Counsell went to the bullpen and Daniel Palencia. Palencia struck out Salas, but pinch hitter Gavin Sheets crushed one 394 feet deep into the right field bleachers to make it 4-1. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad pitch. Palencia threw Sheets a 101 mph fastball low and inside. But Sheets was ready and hit him.
Against the Padres’ strong bullpen, that was all they needed. After Rodriguez, the Padres got one inning against Jason Adam, two against Adrian Morejon and one against Mason Miller. Miller struck out Ian Happ, then gave up a double to Nico Hoerner, but Miller retired pinch hitter Michael Conforto and forced Carson Kelly to ground out too short to end the game and the Cubs’ season.
It’s not hard to see what went wrong for the Cubs in this series. The team didn’t hit. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Alex Bregman and Michael Busch went 0 for 20 with one walk. After three hits on Tuesday, the team only managed five hits tonight and the first extra base hit didn’t come until Hoerner’s double in the 9th. Of the Cubs’ eight hits in this series, Nico Hoerner had four.
This ends the Cubs’ 2026 season. Let’s hope 2027 is better. Or even 2027 will actually happen.
Al will have a full recap and/or autopsy with video at 8 a.m. at the center tomorrow.
Gn sports
