Padres unload on Cubs to earn series split

CHICAGO -- Before Sunday's game, the Padres made a pair of roster moves that underscored how the organization's future success is its biggest priority.
An impressive start from rookie Joey Lucchesi and a moonshot from rookie Franmil Reyes in Sunday's game highlighted just how bright that future could be. A go-ahead double from 27-year-old Cory Spangenberg -- a veteran compared to many of his teammates -- in the eighth and a four-run ninth gave the Padres the 10-6 win in the series finale vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
"It's one of the most team-oriented wins we've had all year, where everybody did something positive for us," manager Andy Green said.

Lucchesi, whose start was pushed back a day due to a stomach bug, held the potent Chicago offense to three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. He recorded nine strikeouts and walked none; 74 percent of his 86 pitches went for strikes.
Reyes annihilated a 3-0 fastball from Jon Lester to lead off the fourth inning for a 477-foot solo home run, as projected by Statcast™. The right fielder's homer was his seventh of the season and came in his first game back in the Majors. He was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Saturday when Wil Myers was placed on the 10-day disabled list.
"Man, he crushed that ball. I like the way he looked down for the green light, 3-0. You could tell he wanted to hit," Green said. "Just turn the big guy loose and let him hit."

The excitement was evident in the visiting clubhouse following Sunday's win. Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" blared on the speakers, and multiple times, a player went over and turned the volume all the way up as a teammate was getting interviewed.
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It could seem a bit out of place for such a celebration for a 70-loss team in early August, but for a young team with a loaded farm system and a promising future, perhaps the fervor was warranted.
"They've had energy [all season]," Green said. "They've had fight. When you don't get hits, it doesn't feel that way. When they get hits, you can feel the infectious energy."

The Padres led off each of the first four innings with a hit -- a single, homer, single, homer pattern -- to touch the 34-year-old Lester up for five early runs. Shortstop Freddy Galvis started the second with a home run that carried thanks to the wind blowing out and just barely got over the left-center-field wall.
But as they are known to do, the Cubs started chipping away at the lead. They scored two in the fifth inning, on two hits and two Padres errors, and tied the game, 5-5, in the seventh.

Travis Jankowski, who replaced Reyes in the seventh, drew a two-out walk, stole second and scored on Spangenberg's double. Hunter Renfroe's two-run blast and a two-run single from Jankowski accounted for the Padres' final four runs of the game.
The win earned the Padres a series split with the first-place Cubs, an achievement for San Diego considering it's coming off a 5-20 record in July, which is the second-worst monthly mark in franchise history. Both games the Padres lost to Chicago in this series were decided by one run.
"Every game was competitive," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We were in every game till the last pitch. We realized we can play with these guys now. It's just the ability to have that confidence every series."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Padres were leading, 6-5, when Renfroe cracked a 409-foot, two-run shot to left-center field with one out in the ninth. The home run proved to be crucial when Ben Zobrist hit a solo homer in the home half for the Cubs' sixth run.

SOUND SMART
Reyes' home run was the second longest for a Padres hitter since Statcast™ started tracking in 2015, behind Franchy Cordero, who ripped a 489-foot blast on April 20 vs. the D-backs at Chase Field. It was also the fifth longest in the Majors this season -- Cordero's in Arizona was the longest -- as well as the longest at Wrigley Field in 2018.
But where does it rank on balls he's ever hit? Asked if it was the furthest, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Reyes said, sternly: "No."
Was it close?
"No."
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Cubs had already scored two runs in the fifth when Javier Báez was called safe stealing third base. The Padres challenged, and the call was overturned as Christian Villanueva's glove remained on Baez as his lead hand left the bag and before he could regain contact.

UP NEXT
The Padres will have Monday off before traveling 90 miles north to begin a three-game series vs. the Brewers in Milwaukee on Tuesday, with Clayton Richard starting on the mound. In his Opening Day start against the Brewers on March 29, Richard tossed seven innings of one-run ball. Chase Anderson gets the nod for Milwaukee, with first pitch set for 5:10 p.m. PT at Miller Park.