SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres (19-11) suffered their first two-game losing streak since March 31 on Wednesday afternoon, falling 5-4 to the Chicago Cubs (19-12).
It also marked their first series loss since facing the San Francisco Giants in late March along with having lost three out of the last four games.
San Diego’s offense struggled, managing just three hits, two of which were home runs.
The Cubs struck first in the top of the second inning when catcher Miguel Amaya singled to center, bringing in outfielder Michael Conforto for a 1-0 lead. A strange sequence put Conforto on base after he hit a deep fly to center field that Jackson Merrill, known for robbing home runs, misjudged and dropped, turning it into a double then led to the run.
"I just got one up for it and I didn't catch it," Merrill said. "Shit happens."
Two innings later, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong launched his third home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
Padres starter Matt Waldron delivered one of his better performances since stepping into the rotation following Nick Pivetta’s injury. Waldron pitched 5.0 innings, allowing six hits and three runs. While not dominant, it marked progress after he surrendered six runs in each of his previous two starts.
"I feel like I'm making strides in the right direction," Waldron said.
The Padres responded in the middle innings. Third baseman Miguel Andújar got San Diego on the board with his first home run of the season, driving a sweeper to left field. After a Jake Cronenworth walk, Nick Castellanos followed with a no-doubt two-run shot to left-center, his first as a Padre, tying the game at 3-3 and energizing Petco Park.
"Anytime that you have results, it's a good feeling," Castellanos said.
Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Apr 29, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Nick Castellanos (21) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park.
The momentum didn’t last.
Matt Shaw doubled off Adrian Morejón, putting runners in scoring position in the top of the 6th inning. With Conforto on third after reaching earlier, a defensive miscue proved costly. Ty France recorded an out at first on a Crow-Armstrong ground out, but a delayed reaction allowed Conforto to break for home. France’s throw to Luis Campusano came too late, giving the Cubs a 4-3 lead.
In the eighth inning, Shaw struck again, taking Jason Adam deep on the sixth pitch of the at-bat to extend the lead to 5-3.
The Padres had one final opportunity in the bottom half. After loading the bases, two of their highest-paid stars stepped to the plate. Fernando Tatis Jr., who hasn’t homered since early September 2025, drove a ball to deep center field, but it fell short of the wall. Castellanos scored on the play to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Manny Machado followed but grounded into a double play, ending the inning and the Padres’ comeback hopes.
"We've proved that we're a team, that's a very good contender this year," Merrill said. "Everyone in our clubhouse is contributing. I'm just excited to keep it going."
In April, the Padres won 18 games, their most in a single month since 1998. They sit just half a game behind the Dodgers, who have also dropped their last two. Everything is still in front of San Diego, but they need their big bats to start producing.
"I'm waiting for them to get hot, and once they get hot, we're going to roll off a bunch of wins again," Knorr said. "So, just a matter of time waiting for them to get ready and feel comfortable again."
San Diego will have Thursday off before opening a new series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Noah Schultz (1-1) is scheduled to face Germán Márquez (3-1) at 6:40 p.m. PT.