Padres blank Cubs behind Dylan Cease's 12 strikeouts

Dylan Cease pitched seven shutout innings of one-hit ball and the San Diego Padres got a few timely hits in their 3-0 win against the host Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

With the win, the Padres took the series over the Cubs, 2-1. They also won a three-game series against Chicago last month.

Cease (5-2) racked up 12 strikeouts and gave up two walks in a masterful effort. The Cubs were retired in order in four of the seven innings Cease pitched, including two instances where he struck out the side.

It marked the fifth time in Cease's last six outings where he gave up one or fewer earned runs.

Chicago got its lone hit in the third inning, when Yan Gomes got an infield single. Nico Hoerner was hit by a pitch shortly after, giving the Cubs two baserunners for the only time in the game, but Mike Tauchman flied out to end the inning.

Wandy Peralta and Robert Suarez, who got his 12th save of the season, followed Cease's lead and kept the Cubs off the bases.

San Diego took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. After Luis Arraez was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, Manny Machado brought him home two outs later with an RBI single to put the Padres in front.

The Padres scored again in the fifth inning. Luis Campusano and Arraez each singled for San Diego. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled home Campusano before Jake Cronenworth followed with an RBI double to give San Diego a 3-0 lead. Machado grounded out to shortstop with two runners in scoring position.

Cubs starter Hayden Wesneski (2-1) was removed after pitching six innings. He gave up three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in the loss.

Chicago relievers Richard Lovelady, Adbert Alzolay and Keegan Thompson came out of the bullpen and kept the Padres at bay, holding them to no runs and one hit over the last three innings.