Padres sweep Cubs, advance to NLDS

SAN DIEGO (KYMA) - The San Diego Padres have officially gotten their revenge.

One year after the Chicago Cubs eliminated San Diego in three games at Wrigley Field, the Padres returned the favor Wednesday night, sweeping Chicago out of the NL Wild Card Series with a 4-1 victory at Petco Park.

San Diego's pitching once again proved to be the difference.

Nick Pivetta started Game 2 and along with the Padres' bullpen, they held one of Major League Baseball's highest-scoring offenses to just one run.

The Cubs managed only eight hits across the two-game series, with seven of those going for singles.

San Diego took a 2-0 lead in the second inning after Ty France doubled and scored on a Xander Bogaerts single. Ethan Salas then drove in Jackson Merrill to extend the lead.

Chicago finally got on the board in the fourth when Nico Hoerner drove in Seiya Suzuki, but the Cubs could not generate any more offense.

The Padres added two insurance runs later in the game, highlighted by pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets' two-run home run to right field.

Mason Miller closed things out in the ninth, striking out two batters to send Petco Park into another celebration.

Catcher Ethan Salas became the youngest player ever to catch a playoff game at just 20-years-old.

The Padres have now won 20 of their last 23 games dating back to September 5 and have advanced to the NL Division Series for the fifth time in the last seven years.

San Diego will now travel to the Midwest to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday.