Chicago Cubs Dispatch the San Diego Padres In Game 3 To Advance

Wrigleyville can breathe a collective sigh of relief. The Chicago Cubs, after a nail-biter of a series, have officially sent the San Diego Padres into hibernation for the winter, clinching the NL Wild Card with a tense 3-1 victory in a do-or-die Game 3.

Let’s be honest, it wasn’t exactly a Picasso of a performance. The Cubs left more runners on base than a forgetful tourist leaves gloves on a park bench, stranding eight and managing only three runs despite racking up 13 hits. It was the kind of game that has you nervously pacing your living room, questioning every life choice that led you to become a die-hard baseball fan. But in October, you don’t ask how, you just ask how many. And the Cubs got the one win they needed.

How the Cubs Scraped Out the Win

THAT W IS FLYING!

THE @CUBS ARE HEADING TO THE NLDS! #CLINCHED pic.twitter.com/uXXP15f3Cz

— MLB (@MLB) October 3, 2025

The party got started early. In the second inning, the Cubs decided to play a little “let’s make Yu Darvish’s life miserable.” After a few key hits, it was up to Pete Crow-Armstrong, who delivered his first-ever postseason hit—a clutch single that brought the first run home. The kid looked cooler than the other side of the pillow. Shortly after, Dansby Swanson decided hitting was overrated and drew a bases-loaded walk, casually strolling to first and doubling the lead. Classic October baseball.

From there, it was a defensive stalemate. Both teams’ bullpens were throwing fire, and Swanson was apparently playing with a vacuum cleaner for a glove at shortstop, snagging everything hit his way.

Busch Delivers the Dagger

Just when the 2-0 lead started to feel a little too comfortable (which is to say, not comfortable at all), Michael Busch stepped up in the seventh. He promptly launched a solo shot that felt like an emotional exhale for every fan in the stadium. That home run was the insurance policy the Cubs desperately needed, giving them a 3-0 cushion.

The Padres tried to make things interesting in the ninth when Jackson Merrill hit a solo homer of his own, but it was too little, too late. The comeback train never left the station, and the Cubs slammed the door shut, officially booking their trip to face their old pals, the Milwaukee Brewers.

What’s Next For the North Siders?

So, pop the champagne… but maybe just a small sip. The Cubs are heading straight into the lion’s den. The NLDS kicks off this Saturday at American Family Field, where they will face their division rivals in a series that’s guaranteed to be a bare-knuckle brawl. The Brewers are waiting, and you can bet they aren’t planning on a friendly welcome. It is time for the Cubs to prove this Wild Card win wasn’t a fluke. Get ready, Milwaukee. The circus is coming to town.