Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly surrounded consecutive circuits to lead the fifth round, raising the Cubs hosts of Chicago to a 3-1 victory on the Padres of San Diego in match 1 of their Wild-Card series of the National League on Tuesday.
Daniel Palencia (1-0) withdrew two and withdrew the five strikers he faced in relief from the start of Matthew Boyd. Former Padre Drew Pomeranz withdrew the team in order in the seventh round, Andrew Kittredge did the same in the eighth and Brad Keller followed in the ninth to guarantee the backup.
Chicago, who reached the playoffs for the last time in 2020, will try to finish the series of best three at home on Wednesday afternoon.
Nico Hoerner collected two of the six strokes of his team and added a sacrificial fly in the eighth round of the former Cub Jeremiah Estrada.
Xander Bogaerts has torn a double RBI in the second round and succeeded two of the four strokes for the Padres.
Chicago was limited to a single blow during the first four rounds before Suzuki and Kelly have categorically erased a deficit of 1-0.
Suzuki filed a 2-1 quick bullet from Nick Pivetta (0-1) on the wall on the central field and Kelly sent a 2-2 quick ball to the seats in the left center field.
The Suzuki circuit was its sixth in the last five games, while Kelly’s Blast has been his first since September 10.
Pivetta authorized two points on three strokes while withdrawing nine strikers in five rounds.
Jackson Merrill doubled to lead the second round and trotted at home after Bogaerts led the ball which made a blow to the wall in the central field. Bogaerts went to the third basis on an error to throw, but Boyd withdrew the following three strikers to limit the damage.
The Padres also threatened in the fourth round after Manny Machado went to the third base on a sacrifice and a single on the ground. Boyd, however, induced an exit on the shallow central terrain and a flyout to end the sleeve.
– field level media
