After sweeping the Cubs at Petco Park in May the Padres avoided getting swept by the defending World Series champs at Wrigley Field.
San Diego topped Chicago 3-2 on Wednesday afternoon despite an abbreviated start and getting just two extra-base hits, one of them by a relief pitcher.
Miguel Diaz got the start for the Padres and threw just 43 pitches when he was lifted in the 3rd inning with what was called a right (pitching arm) forearm strain. His prognosis was not immediately known after the game but his exit meant the Padres bullpen was going to have a long day.
Up first was Craig Stammen, who allowed a 2-run home run to Ian Happ in the 4th inning to put the Cubs up 2-0. It was the 2nd hit the Chicago offense had and turned out to be its final hit of the game. After that Ryan Buchter, Phil Maton, Brad Hand and Brandon Maurer combined for 4.0 perfect innings.
Meanwhile the San Diego offense started chipping away. In the 5th inning Stammen doubled and scored on a single by Jose Pirela to cut the lead to 2-1. In the 6th Erick Aybar rode one out off of Cubs reliever Brian Duensing to tie it 2-2.
Their final run came in the 8th inning in quite the improbable fashion. San Diego loaded the bases on a pair of singles and an intentional walk and with two outs, in stepped Rule 5 draftee Luis Torrens. The kid who just turned 21 in May was facing All-Star reliever Koji Uehara and he worked a walk to bring in Wil Myers with what turned out to be the winning run.
The timing gave another rookie, Phil Maton, his first MLB win. Maton has not been scored on in his first six big league appearances. Maton is expected to someday take over as the Padres closer. Maurer, the current closer, got the final two outs to notch his 13th save of the season.
The Padres take Thursday off then start a 3-game set against the Tigers at Petco Park on Friday night. Rookie Dinelson Lamet gets the start against Michael Fulmer.
