San Diego Padres Sweep Chicago Cubs to Advance in National League Postseason
The San Diego Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Wednesday at Petco Park to sweep their National League Wild Card Series and advance to the Division Series. Gavin Sheets hit a two-run home run as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning, propelling San Diego to a matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Pitching Dominance and Offensive Precision at Petco Park
San Diego’s pitching staff limited the Chicago offense to just one run across 18 innings during the two-game series, with the Cubs managing only five hits in the second game and failing to score in 17 of the 18 total frames played at Petco Park. Five Padres pitchers combined to lock down the 4-1 victory in Game 2 following an early RBI single from Xander Bogaerts and a sacrifice fly from Ethan Salas. The sweep served as sweet revenge for San Diego after their 2025 season ended with a Wild Card elimination at Wrigley Field. In Game 1, the Padres secured an 8-0 shutout victory highlighted by starting pitcher Michael King holding Chicago without a hit deep into the seventh inning, alongside home runs from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.
Historic Postseason Milestone for Ethan Salas
At 20 years old, catcher Ethan Salas etched his name into the postseason record books during the second inning of Game 2. Salas became the youngest player in history to be a catcher in a postseason game.
He also became the youngest player at any position to record a sacrifice fly in the playoffs since complete tracking began in 1954. His productive out drove in San Diego’s second run of the night, helping establish an early lead before the bullpen took over.
Gavin Sheets Delivers the Decisive Blow
Manager Craig Counsell turned to right-handed reliever Daniel Palencia with two outs and a runner on base in the fifth inning. Because the Padres determined he could not contribute defensively, they relied on him as a pinch-hitting weapon off the bench, resulting in just one plate appearance and a single swing during the entire series. Sheets launched the pitch over the fence for a two-run home run, recording the fastest pitch ever hit for a home run by a Padres player in regular season or postseason history. The blast sent Petco Park into a frenzy and padded San Diego’s lead to 4-1.
San Diego Advances to Face Milwaukee Brewers
The Padres now travel to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series, which opens Saturday in Milwaukee. Milwaukee finished the regular season with the best record in the majors and has starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski lined up for Game 1.
San Diego won 19 of their last 22 regular-season games before carrying that momentum into a two-game sweep of Chicago.