For the first time since 2017, the Chicago Cubs are moving on in the postseason.

The Cubs used an early lead and stellar pitching to beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Thursday in Game 3 of the wild-card series to advance to the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, their division rivals and owners of baseball’s best record.

The Cubs entered Thursday 6-13 at Wrigley Field in elimination games, including 0-3 in winner-takes-all games. Those previous win-or-go-home losses occurred in the 1945 World Series, 2003 NL Championship Series and 2018 wild-card game. They were 4-4 overall in such games, with their last win coming in the 2017 NLDS at the Washington Nationals.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s RBI single and Dansby Swanson’s bases-loaded walk in the second put the Cubs in

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