Padres cannot overcome JP Sears, lose to Cubs

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CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 30: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres hits a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Take a flyball pitcher in JP Sears and put him on the mound in Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out you get a final score that looks like a bad football game. That was the case Tuesday night when the San Diego Padres suffered a 9-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Sears was staked to a lead thanks to a leadoff home run from Fernando Tatis Jr. to start the game, but the 1-0 advantage was short-lived because a Tatis throwing error in the bottom of the inning allowed Seiya Suzuki to reach safely and advance to second base with two outs. Sears allowed an RBI-single to Carson Kelly and the game was tied 1-1 after the first inning.

The trouble for the left-hander came in the bottom of the second inning. Sears allowed a one-out solo home run to Dansby Swanson to give Chicago a 2-1 lead. He then allowed a single and a walk before allowing a three-run home run to Alex Bregman to give the Cubs a 5-1 lead. Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the top of the third to make the score 5-3 in favor of the home team.

Both sides settled into the rhythm of the game until the bottom of the fifth inning when Sears allowed a solo blast to Michael Busch before allowing a two-out single to Ian Happ. Ron Marinaccio took over for Sears and allowed a two-run home run on a 2-2 pitch to the first batter he faced in Swanson who pushed the Cubs ahead, 8-3. Marinaccio was tagged for another home run to open the bottom of the sixth inning when he faced Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Padres found themselves trailing 9-3.

San Diego did mount a comeback in the top of the eighth inning when Gavin Sheets hit a three-run home run after a walk by Ty France and a one-out single by Xander Bogaerts. Tatis stepped to the plate later in the inning with two outs and connected on his second solo home run of the game and the second home run in the inning for San Diego, but that was where the scoring ended for the Padres and now, they find themselves looking to Walker Buehler to avoid a three-game sweep today at 11:20 a.m.

Padres News:

• Jake Cronenworth made his return in the first game of the series against the Chicago Cubs and Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball writes more help may not be too far away.

• The saying goes, “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” but Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball believes the Padres will have to be both if they want to play in the postseason.

• The Padres have struggled with their rotation, but two new additions have been particularly bad. Griffin Canning and Lucas Giolito have had difficult tenures to this point in San Diego and Padres fans believe Canning will be the first pitcher replaced when another option is available.

Baseball News:

• Benches cleared between the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals and Willson Contreras was in the middle of it.

• Tarik Skubal dominated the New York Yankees, and the Detroit Tigers got a 9-3 win.

• The Chicago White Sox knocked off the Baltimore Orioles, 9-3.

• The St. Louis Cardinals got a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves.

• Francisco Alvarez homers to help the New York Mets beat the Toronto Blue Jays,

• Christopher Sanchez deals the Philadelphia Phillies past the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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