Imanaga and Happ lead the Cubs past the Padres 3-1 in Wrigley Field
opener
[April 05, 2025]
By JAY COHEN
CHICAGO (AP) — Shota Imanaga pitched one-run ball into
the eighth inning in Chicago's home opener at Wrigley Field, and the
Cubs handed San Diego its first loss with a 3-1 victory over the Padres
on Friday.
Imanaga (2-0) allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings in his
second straight win. Picking up right where he left off in his
impressive rookie season, the Japanese left-hander has permitted two
runs and seven hits in 18 1/3 innings over his first three starts this
year. |
Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ (8) is greeted in the dugout after scoring a run
in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres,
Friday, April 4, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) |
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Ian Happ had two hits and scored two runs as
Chicago improved to 6-2 since it dropped its first two games in
Tokyo against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
San Diego had opened the season with seven consecutive victories
for the best start in franchise history.
Martín Maldonado homered for the Padres in the third, tying it
at 1. But the Cubs scored two runs in the fifth after Randy
Vásquez (0-1) retired the first two batters.
With the bases loaded after a pair of walks, pinch-hitter Justin
Turner greeted Yuki Matsui with a hard grounder to Xander
Bogaerts. The shortstop threw from his knees as he tried for the
forceout at second, but Seiya Suzuki was safe and Happ scampered
home with the tiebreaking run — delighting the crowd of 40,244
on an overcast afternoon.
Kyle Tucker scored when Manny Machado committed an error on
Dansby Swanson's grounder to third.
Porter Hodge got two outs for Chicago before Ryan Pressly worked
a shaky ninth for his third save. It was Pressly's first home
game since he was acquired in a January trade with Houston.
Key moment
San Diego put runners on second and third in the ninth, but Jake
Cronenworth looked at a called third strike for the final out.
Key stat
The Cubs have won four consecutive home openers for the first
time since 1950-53.
Up next
Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (1-0, 0.00) and Cubs
left-hander Matthew Boyd (0-0, 0.00 ERA) start on Saturday.
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