Cubs Fall to Padres 4-2 in Series Finale

The Chicago Cubs lost the series finale to the San Diego Padres 4-2, with missed opportunities and bullpen struggles proving costly. Despite loading the bases early, the Cubs managed only a sacrifice fly before a double play ended their best scoring chance. Starting pitcher Matthew Boyd delivered a solid outing, but the Padres took the lead with RBI singles from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. The Cubs narrowed the gap with a Pete Crow-Armstrong home run, yet relievers Daniel Palencia and Luke Little each allowed crucial runs, with Little notably walking four batters in the eighth. Throughout the series, Chicago struggled to convert chances with runners in scoring position and issued too many walks, highlighting ongoing issues for the team. Ian Happ's three-hit performance and Boyd's continued strong pitching were among the few bright spots for the Cubs.