The winning run has ended! San Diego Padres suffered their first loss of the 2025 MLB season, losing 3-1 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field this Friday. The Friars came into this matchup with an impressive 7-0 record, just one win shy of tying the Dodgers .
Following this defeat, the Padres' National League West Division opponents, the Dodgers, now stand ahead of them. Los Angeles Dodgers (8-0), standing as the sole unbeaten team in the league MLB , at least until their match against the Philadelphia Phillies ends tonight.
The highlight of the day for the Cubs was Japanese starter Shota Imanaga The pitcher put forth an impressive display on the mound, pitching for 7.1 innings and conceding merely one run along with four hits. He also struck out four San Diego Padres hitters during this time. This season, in his three appearances, the southpaw has yielded only two runs across 18.1 innings pitched, recording 10 strikeouts and allowing seven hits.
The Chicago team took an early lead in the opening frame as Nico Hoerner secured a walk with the bases full against San Diego’s starting pitcher, Randy Vásquez. This occurred right after Vásquez filled the bases with two outs by walking both Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson following his retirements of Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki.
San Diego tied the game at 1-1 thanks to Martín Maldonado's first home run of the season, which was also the sole score permitted by Imanaga. Nonetheless, Cubs he broke the deadlock with two runs in the fifth inning. Yet again, Vásquez faced difficulties, loading the bases with two outs, after giving up a single and then walking twice.
Yuki Matsui took over for Vázquez but surrendered a pinch-hit RBI single to Justin Turner. Subsequently, when Swanson hit a ground ball that deflected off Manny Machado's glove, which was deemed an error, it led to another run scoring for the team. Cubs .
The Chicago relief pitchers, including Porter Hodge and Ryan Pressly, managed the last 1.2 innings perfectly, not conceding any scores. Despite surrendering a hit and a base-on-balls in the ninth, leading to a potential tie-runner being at bat, Pressly secured his third save of the year. This victory extended their winning streak to seven games. Padres began the season equaled their highest achievement from the previous season.
