Padres Rout Cubs 8-0 in Wild Card Game 1: Michael King Flirts With No-Hitter

San Diego blew past the Chicago Cubs 8-0 in Game 1 of the 2026 National League Wild Card Series, with Fernando Tatis Jr.’s leadoff home run and Michael King’s near no-hitter putting the game away almost before it started. The Padres played the opener Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at Petco Park in San Diego, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three matchup. Here’s how the shutout happened and what it means heading into Game 2.

What Was the Final Score of Wild Card Game 1?

The Padres beat the Cubs 8-0 on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, to win Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park. San Diego piled up 13 hits and three home runs while Chicago managed only three hits all night, capped by a combined three-hitter from the Padres’ pitching staff.

How Did Fernando Tatis Jr.’s Leadoff Homer Set the Tone?

Tatis Jr. hit the very first pitch of the game, a changeup from Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, for a 405-foot home run to center field. MLB’s own game story called it the first leadoff home run in Padres postseason history — a claim from the league’s primary coverage that we haven’t independently checked against a full franchise playoff log. Two batters later, Manny Machado added a solo homer of his own to left-center, and the Padres led 2-0 before Boyd had recorded an out. Boyd settled in for a stretch but was pulled after four innings, having allowed five hits and four earned runs on 58 pitches.

How Close Did Michael King Come to a No-Hitter?

King retired the first 19 Cubs batters he faced and didn’t allow a hit until one out into the seventh inning. San Diego’s starter opened the game by striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, and kept missing bats the rest of the way. Nico Hoerner ended the bid with an infield single fielded by Machado at third base. King finished with a final line of 7 innings pitched, 1 hit, 0 runs, 8 strikeouts and 3 walks on 97 pitches, and left to a standing ovation at Petco Park. Yuki Matsui followed with a perfect eighth inning, and closer Joe Musgrove worked the ninth, allowing two hits and striking out two batters to complete a combined three-hit shutout.

What Else Did the Padres Offense Do?

Beyond the two first-inning home runs, San Diego kept adding on through the middle innings. Machado doubled in a run in the third, Xander Bogaerts hit a solo home run off Boyd, and Jackson Merrill drove in two runs with a single. The Cubs, by contrast, stranded most of their scoring chances and finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position against a Padres pitching staff that didn’t let the game get close at any point.

What Does Game 1 Mean for the Rest of the Series?

San Diego now leads the best-of-three Wild Card Series 1-0, with Chicago facing elimination in Game 2. Game 2 was scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET, also at Petco Park — the Padres host every game of the series as the higher seed. A Padres win ends the series 2-0; a Cubs win forces a decisive Game 3 later in the week. As of this article’s publication, Game 2 had not yet been completed, so the series outcome remains unresolved; this recap covers only the finished Game 1 and does not forecast how the series ends.

Final Thoughts

Game 1 was about as dominant as a playoff opener gets: a first-pitch home run, a starter who flirted with history, and an offense that never let up. For the fuller picture of how the Padres and Cubs got here — and how the rest of the bracket is shaping up — see our 2026 MLB Playoffs bracket and schedule guide . We’ll have the Game 2 result as soon as it’s final.