King shuts down Cubs as Padres take wild-card opener 8-0

The Cubs are one loss from the end of their season after Michael King held them to one hit over seven innings in San Diego's 8-0 win Tuesday night at Petco Park. Chicago fell behind in the first inning of the National League Wild Card Series opener and never found an answer at the plate. Game 2 is Wednesday at 9 p.m. Central on Peacock and NBCSN.

King retired the Cubs in order to open the game, striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong on three pitches. His no-hit bid lasted until Nico Hoerner beat out an infield single with one out in the seventh. By then, San Diego led 7-0. King finished with eight strikeouts and three walks, leaving Chicago with an elimination game after an offense that led the majors in runs during the regular season managed three singles all night.

Matthew Boyd's changeup gave the Padres their early opening. Fernando Tatis Jr. drove his first pitch over the center-field wall, and Manny Machado homered two batters later. Machado added an RBI double in the third before Xander Bogaerts hit another changeup out in the fourth. MLB's game report identified all three home runs as changeups left in the strike zone.

Boyd allowed four runs and five hits over four innings, with four strikeouts and one walk. That left the Cubs chasing a pitcher who was denying them solid contact. Chicago had runners in scoring position in the second and third but failed to bring either home. Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman finished a combined 0-for-7 with six strikeouts.

The game widened in the fifth. Jackson Merrill singled home two runs after San Diego loaded the bases against Javier Assad; Ty France then scored on Carson Kelly's passed ball. Tatis added the final run in the seventh, scoring after a steal and Kelly's throwing error. The Padres finished with 13 hits.

Chicago's last chance came against Joe Musgrove in the ninth. Seiya Suzuki and Hoerner singled, and Dansby Swanson walked, but Musgrove struck out pinch-hitter Michael Conforto with the bases loaded to finish the shutout. Chicago struck out 11 times.

The Cubs now need consecutive wins to advance. The Chicago Tribune reported that Kevin Gausman's pregame bullpen went well enough for him to start Game 2 after concerns about his left shoulder. Chicago's lineup has a more immediate job: produce runs before San Diego can hand another lead to its rested late-inning relievers.