Game 1; game won.

The Cubs held off the Padres 3-1 with timely offense and stellar pitching, featuring their bu

Here’s how the Cubs won Game 1 of the NL Wild Card game to set up a clinching Game 2 on Wednesday.

The Cubs’ offense needed a wake up

Nico Hoerner hit a single in the first inning, but that was all the Cubs mustered in the first half of the Wild Card opener.

Through four innings, the Cubs had one hit. Then came the fifth.

The Cubs smacked back-to-back home runs to take a 2-1 lead and send Wrigley Field into a frenzy. First, Seiya Suzki hit a solo shot. Carson Kelly followed soon after.

The last time the Cubs hit back-to-back postseason dingers was on Oct. 15, 2016, when Miguel Montero and Dexter Fowler did so on Oct. 15, 2016 vs. the Dodgers.

In the sixth inning, the Cubs

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