Padres Rout Cubs 8-0 in Wild-Card Opener as King Carries No-Hitter Into Seventh

Q: After holding the high-scoring Cubs to one hit, are the Padres now one win from proving their September surge was no fluke?

Yes. The Padres are now one win from showing their September charge was real, because Game 1 looked like the same formula that fueled their late-season rise: star power at the top of the lineup, dominant frontline pitching, bullpen depth and a major home-field edge. This was not a narrow upset. San Diego beat an 89-win Cubs club that led the majors in runs and held it to one hit in an 8-0 rout. Michael King’s seven scoreless innings, with eight strikeouts and a no-hit bid into the seventh, reinforced that the Padres’ rotation is far stronger than it was when they were under .500 in July. Just as important, Joe Musgrove’s successful return and the ability to avoid overusing top relievers left San Diego well-positioned for Game 2. The offensive outburst also backed up the idea that the Padres’ surge was sustainable. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Jackson Merrill again drove the attack, just as they did during the club’s 41-18 finish and 17-3 run into October. San Diego’s offense had been one of baseball’s best in September, and it carried directly into the postseason. Still, one game does not settle the argument. The real proof comes from closing the series against a Cubs team that has pitching depth and postseason experience. But with a 1-0 lead, home-field advantage at Petco Park, and Nick Pivetta lined up for Game 2, the Padres are now in position to turn a hot stretch into a verified October breakthrough.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Sep 30

San Diego opened its wild-card series with an 8-0 win over Chicago, handing the Cubs their first postseason shutout in 132 playoff games and the Padres' largest playoff shutout ever.
Michael King drove the result with 7 scoreless innings, 8 strikeouts and a no-hit bid through 6 1/3, overpowering a Cubs lineup that led baseball in runs this season.
Fernando Tatis Jr. set the tone immediately, crushing the first pitch he saw for a 405-foot leadoff homer — the Padres' first postseason leadoff shot — as Tatis, Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts combined for 8 hits and 3 homers.
Joe Musgrove then worked out of a bases-loaded jam to preserve the shutout in his first game in two years after Tommy John surgery, while San Diego avoided using top late relievers Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller.
The win extended the momentum of a Padres club that went 35-17 in August and September after sitting 50-53 on July 23, reinforcing the surge that carried it into October.