Padres Force Game 3 With 3-0 Win

Manny Machado hit a two-run, 404-foot home run in the fifth inning as the San Diego Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-0 in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 Thursday at Wrigley Field. Jackson Merrill opened the scoring with a first-inning sacrifice fly that scored Fernando Tatis Jr. Cubs starter Dylan Cease worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings, but Chicago managed only four hits and its use of Andrew Kittredge as an opener backfired early. The Padres' bullpen dominated: Adrian Morejon threw 2 1/3 hitless innings, Mason Miller struck out five and reached 104.5 mph — the fastest postseason pitch tracked by Statcast — and Robert Suarez closed out the victory. The playoff-tested Padres will try to advance to the NL Division Series in Game 3 and would face the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers if they move on.