The San Diego Padres (19-10) face off with the Chicago Cubs (18-12) in the rubber match game three of the three-game set.

Both squads have had great offensive production so far in the series. Today is important for each team to try to win, due to the tiebreaker rules that could apply down the road for the playoffs. For the Padres, Matt Waldron is on the mound and is looking to have a good game after a not-so-great start to his season with a 12.46 ERA, after replacing injured Nick Pivetta. The Cubs have Jameson Taillon, who has been a solid starter in the MLB and has a 4.55 ERA to begin the season.

Series finale. pic.twitter.com/sEuGvpui3T

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 29, 2026

Xander Bogaerts comes up big early with his glove

There has been a growing anxiety that comes up every time Matt Waldron pitches this year. You just never really know what you are gonna get, and this year it has been all negative.

To kick off the top of the first, he didn’t get much help from his defense as the Cubs’ leadoff hitter popped the ball up to the right side of the infield, and both Jake Cronenworth and Ty France converged on the ball. France lost the ball in the sky and tailed off, but it was too late for Cronenworth to make a play. He did a last-ditch effort dive for the ball as it fell in safely, which is the last thing Waldron needs in his starts: free baserunners. The Padres would get one out before the bases ended up loaded.

This would bring up Michael Busch, and he hits a hard grounder up the middle at 99.2 MPH. Xander Bogaerts ends up making a diving grab to keep it from shooting into the outfield, gets up, tags second base, throws it to first to retire the top of the first, and puts a doughnut on the scoreboard.

Much-needed double play turned by Xander Bogaerts for Matt Waldron to exit a first-inning jam#Padres #ForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/TWCGKgTq4c

— Carlos (@LFGPads19) April 29, 2026

Cubs cash in on some more help from the Padres’ defense

Once again, the Padres’ defence keeps hurting Matt Waldron’s chance of having a good outing. The start of the first was the same story as the start of the second, as leadoff man Michael Conforto hit a flyball deep to center, where Jackson Merrill was tracking it down, and when he got to two steps from the wall, Merrill leaped up to catch the ball, and it hit his glove and fell to the ground for a hit. It was recorded as a hit, and Conforto got a double out of it. A groundout from Matt Shaw would move Conforto to third with one out. San Diego ended up getting another out without giving up the run. But Miguel Amaya battled with Waldron and hit a hard grounder to center for the game’s first run, Cubs lead 1-0. Waldron retired the next batter on the first pitch to end the inning.

Then, at the top of the third, the Padres got the first two outs of the inning. Matt Shaw would put down a bunt down the third base, where Miguel Andujar probably didn’t have a chance of making a play, so he let it roll, and it stayed fair for a hit. This was a great setup as Pete Crow Armstrong gets a hold of a hanging sweeper, driving it deep to right field for a two-run shot, his second in as many days. Chicago up 3-0.

Two of the newbies help the Padres jump right back into this one

Just when it looked like the offense was gonna be out of it for this game, they pulled us back in. Jameson Taillon had a no-hitter through four innings of work and was completely dominating the Padres’ hitters. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, that would change as Miguel Andujar gets his first home run of the season, and with the Padres on a 387ft shot to left. Padres trail 3-1.

¡De su bate a las gradas! Miguel Andújar con un gran jonrón para los Padres. ? pic.twitter.com/8EAffFZ3Xf

— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) April 29, 2026

Following him was Jake Cronenworth, who worked a walk. Which brought up Nick Castellanos, and he got every bit of high cutter blasting it 405ft, 102.5 mph to leftfield to tie the game up 3-3. Castellanos first homerun of the year and his first with the Padres.

How ’bout Nick?! pic.twitter.com/gxP56C5J8J

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 29, 2026

Chicago recaptures the lead and builds on it

The bullpen has not been strong in the last three games the Padres have played, and it continued to struggle today. In the top of the sixth, right after the Padres tied it up. Adrian Morejon, who came in for Matt Waldron, who went five innings, walked the leadoff hitter Micheal Busch. Morejon then got Michael Conforto to ground into a forceout at second, which got Busch off the basepath. Then Matt Shaw hit a linedrive to left field, and Castellanos ran it down, but not before the runners were now on second and third. Morejon got a great double play chance off the bat of Pete Crow-Armstrong on a groundball to first baseman Ty France. France would step on the bag and go home to try and get them out of the jam, but Luis Campusano fanned on the tag, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Chicago now leads 4-3. Bradgley Rodriguez would come in to secure the last out of the inning.

The Cubs got another run in the top of the eighth on Jason Adam. With one out, Matt Shaw hit a high fastball just over the left-field wall to give the Cubs some insurance, 5-3.

The Padres blow their chance to tie it in the eighth, and that would be all she wrote

San Diego made some real noise in the bottom of the eighth. Nick Castellanos, Luis Campusano, and Jackson Merrill all got walks to start the inning. Fernando Tatis Jr got a sac fly to center to bring across a run, inching closer now trailing 5-4 with runners on the corners, one out. But brutal timing for a Manny Machado grounder up the middle as second baseman Matt Shaw was waiting behind the bag for it and got an inning-ending double play.

That chance blown proved to be costly. In the bottom of the ninth, Xander Bogaerts would strike out, Ty Frane would ground out to third, and pinch-hitter Ramon Laureano struck out to close it. The Padres close out April with their first series loss in the month. Defense and walks proved costly in the one-run defeat.

What is coming up for the Padres

The San Diego Padres will stay facing a team from Chicago as the White Sox come to Petco Park for a three-game weekend series. The Padres will start German Marquez to square off against White Sox starter Noah Schultz. Game one is on Friday, May 1st, at 6:40 PM PT.

Wyatt Dearen

Hi Padres fans, I’m Wyatt Dearen. I am from Farmington, New Mexico, which is home to one of the most prestigious high school baseball tournaments in America, the Connie Mack World Series. When it comes around, I do color and statistics for the radio. I am currently pursuing a degree in Sports Administration at the University of Houston #GoCoogs. I have been a sports fan my whole life, following all the major sports leagues since I could walk, and it has been my dream my whole life to work in sports. Thankful to write about the team and for the East VillageTimes.