Nico Hoerner delivered when it mattered most, lacing a dramatic 10th-inning triple to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres, ending San Diego’s perfect home record this season.
The tense matchup between division leaders saw the Cubs (12-8) and Padres (14-4) locked in a pitching duel through nine innings at Petco Park. Padres slugger Manny Machado broke the scoreless tie with a solo homer in the fifth, capitalizing after two Cubs fielders dropped foul balls earlier in the at-bat. The Cubs responded in the sixth, stringing together two singles and a pair of sacrifice bunts to tie the game.
With both bullpens holding strong, the game headed to extras. Hoerner, who finished 3-for-5, ripped an opposite-field triple off Yuki Matsui to drive in Dansby Swanson, taking full advantage of MLB’s ghost-runner rule. The Padres threatened in the bottom of the 10th, putting runners on the corners, but Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar induced a flyout from Luis Arraez to seal the win.
Hoerner’s clutch performance not only halted the Padres’ 11-game home win streak but also underscored his value as one of the league’s most reliable hitters with runners in scoring position. The AL East standings remain unchanged, but all eyes are now on the Cubs and Padres as they continue to set the pace in their respective divisions.
