Cubs break Padres seven-game win streak to start season
Credit: AP Photo
The Padres traveled to Chicago for their first away series of 2025.
Shota Imanaga faced off against Randy Vasquez in the first game of a three-game series.
The Padres were looking to go 8-0 and add to their best start in franchise history.
San Diego enjoyed the off day on Thursday, and the vibes within the clubhouse and amongst the fans were sky high. The Padres were off to a 7-0 start to the season and re-signed Jackson Merrill to a mega extension. They came into the game feeling very optimistic.
Randy Vasquez was coming off a great start in San Diego, where he threw six scoreless innings, and hoped to carry that momentum into Friday’s start in Chicago.
It was a very cold and windy day in Chicago, keeping several balls in the park. Thanks to Randy Vasquez’s three straight walks, Chicago jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning. The Padres answered back with a home run from Martin Maldonado, his first as a Padre. It was his hardest hit as a Padres, leaving his bat at 104 mph.
Randy Vasquez went 4.2 innings and left his outing with the bases loaded for Yuki Matsui to come in. The Cubs pinch hit Justin Turner, and he singled for Chicago, making the game 2-1. An error by Manny Machado on the next play made it 3-1 Cubs.
The runs were not charged to the Padres’ bullpen, which came into the day with the league’s lowest ERA at 0.68. Shota Imanaga threw 7.1 innings, totaling 91 pitches and only allowing one run on four hits.
It was another good day for the Padres’ bullpen as they threw 3.1 innings with no earned runs given up. Fernando Tatis Jr. also was a bright spot for San Diego as he collected another two hits on the season.
The Padres had a chance in the 9th inning but failed to bring home the tying runs.
Ultimately, the Cubs pulled through 3-1 to hand the Padres their first loss of the season.
Mike Shildt spoke on Randy Vasquez. “He gave up two hits, that’s good. Kept them off balance, just the free passes, you know, three in the first, then no one on in the fifth,” Shildt said. He attributed the walks to part of the loss on Friday..
The teams face off against each other again on Saturday at 11:20 a.m. as Nick Pivetta faces Matthew Boyd.
The Padres enter the game 7-1, while the Cubs, who are 6-4 on the year, look to take the series.
