CHICAGO (AP) — Shota Imanaga pitched one-run ball into the eighth inning in Chicago’s home opener at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs handed San Diego its first loss with a 3-1 victory over the Padres on Friday.
Imanaga (2-0) allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings in his second straight win. Picking up right where he left off in his impressive rookie season, the Japanese left-hander has permitted two runs and seven hits in 18 1/3 innings over his first three starts this year.
Ian Happ had two hits and scored two runs as Chicago improved to 6-2 since it dropped its first two games in Tokyo against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
San Diego had opened the season with seven consecutive victories for the best start in franchise history.
Martín Maldonado homered for the Padres in the third, tying it at 1. But the Cubs scored two runs in the fifth after Randy Vásquez (0-1) retired the first two batters.
With the bases loaded after a pair of walks, pinch-hitter Justin Turner greeted Yuki Matsui with a hard grounder to Xander Bogaerts. The shortstop threw from his knees as he tried for the forceout at second, but Seiya Suzuki was safe and Happ scampered home with the tiebreaking run — delighting the crowd of 40,244 on an overcast afternoon.
Kyle Tucker scored when Manny Machado committed an error on Dansby Swanson’s grounder to third.
Porter Hodge got two outs for Chicago before Ryan Pressly worked a shaky ninth for his third save. It was Pressly’s first home game since he was acquired with Houston.
Key moment
San Diego put runners on second and third in the ninth, but Jake Cronenworth looked at a called third strike for the final out.
Key stat
The Cubs have won four consecutive home openers for the first time since 1950-53.
Up next
Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta (1-0, 0.00) and Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (0-0, 0.00 ERA) start on Saturday.
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