Cubs beat Padres 3-1 to clinch Wild Card Series, advance to NL Division Series against the Brewers

CHICAGO (AP/WGN) – The Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Round Thursday evening and will play the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an RBI single off a shaky Yu Darvish, and the Cubs shut down Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres.

Backed by a raucous crowd of 40,895 at Wrigley Field, Chicago used its stellar defense to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2017.

Michael Busch hit a solo homer, and Jameson Taillon pitched four shutout innings before manager Craig Counsell used five relievers to close it out.

After Brad Keller faltered in the ninth — allowing Jackson Merrill’s leadoff homer and hitting two batters — Andrew Kittredge earned the save by retiring Jake Cronenworth on a bouncer to third and Freddy Fermin on a flyball to center.

Next up for Chicago is a matchup with NL Central champion Milwaukee for a compelling NL Division Series, beginning with Game 1 on Saturday.

Counsell managed the Brewers for nine years before he was hired by the Cubs in November 2023, and he has been lustily booed in Milwaukee ever since he departed.

It was a disappointing finish for San Diego after it made the postseason for the fourth time in the last six years. The Padres forced a decisive Game 3 with a 3-0 victory on Wednesday, but their biggest stars flopped in the series finale.