Padres Eliminate Cubs, Box Score Stats, Highlights & Bracket After 2026 MLB Wild Card Game 2

One year after the Chicago Cubs ended their 2025 campaign in the National League Wild Card Series, the Padres returned the favor with a 4-1 victory in Wednesday's Game 2 at Petco Park to complete the sweep.

They will now face the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in the Division Series after Gavin Sheets spearheaded the offensive effort with a two-run homer and the lockdown bullpen ended any chance for the Cubs.

San Diego immediately set the tone for the series in Game 1 when Fernando Tatis Jr. homered on the first pitch he saw two batters before Manny Machado went deep, and they didn't wait much longer to strike first Wednesday.

An RBI single from Xander Bogaerts and a sacrifice fly from Ethan Salas started the scoring in the second inning before Sheets provided the fireworks in the fourth with a two-run homer as a pinch-hitter.

The early run support took some of the pressure off the Padres pitching staff, which stood out in key early moments when Chicago stranded two runners in the third and then the bases loaded in the fourth.

While Nico Hoerner got the Cubs on the board with an RBI single in the fourth, it was the missed opportunities that stood out. Dansby Swanson struck out with two runners on in the third and flew out with the bases loaded in the fourth, while likely NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong also popped out with multiple runners on base.

Even though the visitors chased starter Nick Pivetta from the game during that stretch, all that meant was more work for San Diego's excellent bullpen.

Bradgley Rodriguez started the bullpen dominance with two strikeouts in 1.2 scoreless innings before Jason Adam bridged the gap to the back end with a scoreless frame of his own.

And that back end of the bullpen meant Adrian Morejon facing the minimum six batters in the seventh and eighth innings before handing the ball over to closer Mason Miller.

As expected, Miller closed the door and started the celebration in San Diego.