Tatis homers twice, Padres hammer Cubs 10-4 in series opener

Padres move to record-best 11-0 at Petco Park to start the 2025 season

The San Diego Padres took on the Chicago Cubs for the first game of the three-game series. It did not disappoint.

The fans came ready to support, with attendance reaching its third-highest recorded ever at 47,078. Dylan Cease battled against Jameson Taillon.

The Cubs came into this game with the most runs scored, with 113 so far. The Padres come in with one of the best pitching ERAs in baseball, sitting at a great 2.68. The Friars also came into this game yet to lose at home being a perfect 10-0. This made it a perfect match to make an exciting game. 

Both teams started slow offensively for the first two innings, but then Fernando Tatis Jr. broke the tie in the third inning with a solo blast to left field for his fifth home run of the season.

Absolutely crushed. pic.twitter.com/L5l22p0elC

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 15, 2025

The Cubs answered right back in the top of the fourth inning with a two-run home run from Michael Busch. Also in that inning, Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled in another run, adding another to the Cubs’ lead.

Cease finished his day throwing 5 ⅔ innings, allowing three runs (two earned) with six strikeouts. Taillon finished his day going 5 ⅓ innings, allowing two runs, and striking out four.

 Jose Iglesias hit an infield single to cut the lead to one. Then Jason Heyward tied the game at three in the bottom of the 6th inning with a single up the middle — just out of the reach of Chicago’s shortstop, Dansby Swanson.

Tatis scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 7th to give San Diego the lead. Gavin Sheets (who is super-hot offensively) singled in two more to extend the lead to 6-3. The Cubs did strike in the 8th inning against the Padres’ stellar bullpen and cut the lead down to two. 

In the bottom of the 8th, the Padres ran away with it. Tatis hit his second home run of the night with a two-run shot to left field.

Fernando has @PetcoPark shaking… again! ? pic.twitter.com/uaPdQNtPaU

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 15, 2025

Luis Arraez went back-to-back with his home run to right field, which extended the lead 9-4.  In this same electric inning, Iglesias grounded into a force-out but brought home Manny Machado, making it 10-4. The bullpen stayed hot as they pitched 3 ⅓ innings, allowing one run on three hits. 

Tatis credits the great start to the momentum from last year.

“It was a goal starting from our manager that we needed to hit the ground running, so that was the mentality coming into spring training, and man, we’re putting it on the field, and we’re putting it out on the field too,” Tatis said postgame. 

Game two of the series starts at 6:40 on Tuesday as the Padres aim to stay perfect at home. 

Shota Imanaga will take on Randy Vasquez.

Will Eskridge