Pivetta Is Nails, But Padres Missing a Hammer in Game 1 vs. Cubs, Must-Win Mentality Takes Hold

The San Diego Padres are on the brink of history, but a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series has put them in a tough spot. "Tomorrow's it," said Jake Cronenworth, "Forget about what happened today. … Almost everybody in this room has been in a must-win game."
The Padres are drawing on their experience to propel them forward, having successfully rallied from an 0-1 deficit to win a best-of-three series against the Cardinals in 2020. Fernando Tatis Jr. is back in the lineup, and the team is poised to make history.
The Cubs, meanwhile, are looking to ride the momentum of their first playoff win since 2017, thanks to a perfect performance from their bullpen and back-to-back homers from Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly.
The series has all the makings of a classic, with the Padres' experience and the Cubs' momentum making it anyone's game. The teams will face off again on Wednesday, with the Cubs looking to sweep the series.