Gavin Sheets hit a 100.8 mph fastball off Chicago Cubs pitcher Daniel Palencia for a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, securing a 4-1 victory and a two-game sweep in the National League Wild Card Series on Sept. 30, worldjournal.com reported. The win advances the Padres to the NL Division Series against the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers, with games beginning Oct. 4.
Padres Offense Capitalizes Early Against Cubs Pitching
The Padres seized momentum in the second inning against Cubs starting pitcher Kevin Gausman. San Diego strung together three consecutive hits followed by a sacrifice fly to plate two runs and establish an early lead. Chicago responded in the fourth frame when Nick Pivetta, starting on the mound for San Diego, surrendered a run to cut the deficit in half.
Sheets Delivers Decisive Blow in the Fourth
The turning point arrived in the fourth inning after Xander Bogaerts doubled with one out. Following a pitching change that brought Daniel Palencia out of the Cubs bullpen, Palencia struck out the first batter he faced before confronting Sheets, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter. After a first-pitch 99.9 mph fastball caught the inside corner for a strike, Palencia missed over the plate with a 100.8 mph offering. Sheets launched the pitch 394 feet to the right-field seats with an exit velocity of 107.5 mph, stretching the Padres’ advantage to 3-1.
Palencia struggled to find his control against the subsequent batter, Jake Cronenworth, missing with three consecutive balls before a 100.3 mph fastball hit Cronenworth in the back. The incident ended without a physical confrontation between the teams.
Pitching Staff Closes Out the Sweep
San Diego deployed five pitchers over nine innings to stifle the Chicago offense, limiting the Cubs to just five hits. The victory marks the Padres’ second appearance in the NLDS in three years as the franchise pursues its first World Series title. By contrast, the Cubs have failed to reach the World Series since capturing their third title in franchise history back in 2016, enduring five series exits since.
The series outcome reversed last year’s wild-card standings dynamic, where the Cubs hosted the matchup as the top wild-card seed and defeated San Diego two games to one. This season, the Padres secured home-field advantage by claiming the higher seed and dispatched the Cubs in consecutive days.
Division Series Matchups Take Shape
Alongside the Padres, the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees also swept their respective wild-card series to advance to the five-game division round, where they face the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies split their opening two games, with the winner scheduled to meet the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Wild Card Series
Who will the San Diego Padres play in the NLDS?
The Padres advance to face the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in a five-game series scheduled to begin on Oct. 4.
How fast was the pitch Gavin Sheets hit for his home run?
Daniel Palencia threw a 100.8 mph fastball that Sheets drove to the right-field bleachers for a 394-foot, two-run home run in the fourth inning.
How many pitchers did San Diego use in the clinching game?
The Padres utilized five different pitchers who combined to limit the Cubs to five hits en route to the 4-1 victory.
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