Padres vs Cubs: Cubs beat the Padres 3–1 in NL Wild-Card Game 1 as Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers. Read the full Padres vs Cubs recap, pitching grades (Nick Pivetta), key moments, broadcast info, and what to expect in Game 2. (Keywords: Padres vs Cubs, Cubs Game, Padres Game Today, Nick Pivetta, Carson Kelly, Seiya Suzuki.)
Quick headline (one line)
The Chicago Cubs opened the NL Wild-Card Series with a 3–1 win over the San Diego Padres — Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers in the fifth to turn the tide.
Lead — the essentials every fan wants first
- Final score: Cubs 3, Padres 1 — Cubs lead series 1-0.
- Big plays: Back-to-back solo homers by Seiya Suzuki (his sixth in five games) and Carson Kelly in the fifth inning erased San Diego’s early 1-0 lead.
- Pitching: Nick Pivetta struck out nine but took the loss; Cubs bullpen (led by Daniel Palencia and Brad Keller) closed out the game with perfect relief innings.
- Where/when to watch Game 2: Game 2 is set for Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. ET (ABC), with the series shifting to a potential clincher at Wrigley.
These facts form the backbone of the recap below — read on for play-by-play highlights, tactical takeaways, player grades, historical context, TV info, and SEO + publishing details if you’re putting this on a sports site.
Background: why this matchup mattered
The Padres vs Cubs wild-card series paired two clubs with heavy expectations. San Diego entered the postseason as one of MLB’s top regular-season clubs with a deep lineup and experienced pitch staff; Chicago returned to the postseason hungry to end a stretch of misses and thrive at home in front of a raucous Wrigley Field crowd. For neutral fans, the matchup promised power bats (Padres) vs. timely hitting and bullpen depth (Cubs). MLB’s preview and game notes provided the buildup and starting matchups for the best-of-three series.
Game timeline — inning-by-inning highlights
Early innings: Padres strike first
San Diego drew first blood when Xander Bogaerts doubled in the second inning for the Padres’ lone run. That 1–0 lead held through the middle frames as both starters settled.
Middle innings: the fifth becomes the turning point
In the top of the fifth, Seiya Suzuki launched a 424-foot solo homer — part of a hot hot stretch for Suzuki — and was immediately followed by Carson Kelly, who hit his first homer since September 10, giving the Cubs a 2–1 lead. Those back-to-back blasts flipped momentum and ignited Wrigley Field.
Late innings: bullpen shuts the door
Chicago’s relievers — Daniel Palencia, Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller — combined for three perfect innings to close the book. Palencia earned the win; Pomeranz, Kittredge and Keller held steady to preserve the 3–1 edge. The Padres managed only four hits and were left frustrated by Chicago’s shutdown relievers.
Key players & grades
Chicago Cubs
- Seiya Suzuki — A
Suzuki continued a torrid streak, belting his sixth homer in five games with a mammoth 424-foot shot that changed the game’s tone. His clutch power was the defining offensive spark for Chicago. - Carson Kelly — A-
Kelly’s back-to-back shot was his first since Sept. 10 and came in a pressure moment. Extra credit for timing. - Daniel Palencia (relief) — A
Palencia recorded the win with clean innings, setting the table for the rest of the bullpen to finish the job. - Bullpen group (Pomeranz / Kittredge / Keller) — A
They combined to retire the final 12 batters and produced perfect relief innings. Bullpen dominance is often the difference in short postseason series.
San Diego Padres
- Nick Pivetta — B+
Pivetta was excellent in many respects — he fanned nine but suffered the loss. The result hinged on a couple of balls leaving the park for Chicago and limited offensive support. Pivetta did his job but was on the wrong side of the box score. - Xander Bogaerts — B
Provided the Padres’ only run with a second-inning double. The lineup struggled to string hits together against the Cubs’ pitchers and relievers. - Padres offense overall — C
Four hits and one run is not the output you expect from a club built for offense; Chicago’s bullpen helped bottle them up late.
FINAL: Cubs 3, Padres 1
Chicago’s bullpen threw 4 2/3 perfect innings, and back-to-back home runs from Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly give Chicago its first postseason win since 2017. The Padres mustered only four hits despite striking out just five times. Cubs’ defense is elite.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 30, 2025
Tactical takeaways — why the Cubs won and what the Padres must fix
Why Chicago won
- Clutch power at the right moment: The back-to-back dingers in the fifth were the game’s single swing. Postseason games are often decided by one big inning — Chicago got it.
- Bullpen execution: After the Cubs’ offense put a two-run frame on the board, the bullpen retired 18 of the final 19 Padres batters, including the last 12 outs. That kind of relief performance is postseason gold. Starter gave his team a chance: Matthew Boyd (Chicago starter) kept the Padres under control enough for the Cubs offense to take advantage.
[Note: Images are collected from Instagram]
What San Diego must fix
- Manufacture more offense: The Padres have sluggers and run-producers; four hits and one run won’t do it. They must find ways to string together hits and pressure the Cubs’ pen earlier.
- Avoid leaving bases empty: With scoring chances limited, the Padres must be cleaner with runners in scoring position in Game 2, and they should take advantage of any matchup edges.
- Bullpen planning: With Cubs relievers shutting them down, San Diego needs a Game 2 plan that attacks early and secures more innings from starters to protect against a lights-out Chicago pen.