Game #5
Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres
Cubs Blanked, Broomed in San Diego
Show Dominates as Padres Complete Sweep with 9-0 Rout
By Paul Sullivan
Tribune Staff Writer
SAN DIEGO — The sun shone brightly over Jack Murphy Stadium on Sunday, but for the Chicago Cubs, the three-game set in San Diego ended under a dark cloud. Right-hander Eric Show put on a clinic on the mound, tossing a two-hit shutout and striking out nine as the Padres steamrolled the Cubs, 9-0, to complete a resounding sweep.
Show, working with surgical precision, needed just 123 pitches to dismantle the Cubs' lineup. He allowed only five baserunners on the afternoon—two hits and three walks—while recording his second win of the season without yielding a single earned run.
“We barely made him work at all,” Cubs manager Jim Frey said after the game. “San Diego could probably pitch him again tomorrow if they wanted.”
The Cubs (2-3), who opened the season with some promise, now limp home under .500, reeling from a weekend in which they were outscored 19-7 and out-hit 40-21. Sunday’s finale was the worst of the bunch. Chicago never mounted a serious threat and went hitless through the first five innings before Gary Matthews doubled in the ninth.
Their offensive struggles were compounded by another shaky outing from veteran starter Dick Ruthven (0-1), who lasted just four innings while surrendering six earned runs on 10 hits. Ruthven was torched early, giving up a solo homer to Graig Nettles in the first, and a four-run outburst in the fourth inning sealed his fate.
San Diego (5-0) looked every bit the National League’s hottest team, pounding out 17 hits and getting major contributions from up and down the lineup. Alan Wiggins led the charge, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Nettles added four hits and three RBIs, while Steve Garvey collected three hits of his own, including a two-run single in the fourth.
“We’re just clicking right now,” Nettles said. “We’ve got a lot of guys seeing the ball well, and Show was just incredible today. Makes it easy to relax and play loose.”
The Cubs’ defense didn’t help the cause, committing one error and grounding into two double plays. Only Leon Durham and Matthews recorded hits, and no Cub advanced past second base.
The series underscored the early-season inconsistency for the North Siders, who must now regroup quickly with a homestand beginning Tuesday against Philadelphia. The bullpen was once again overworked, as relievers Rich Patterson and Ron Meridith were forced to eat innings after Ruthven’s early exit.
Frey wouldn’t point fingers but acknowledged the urgency.
“We’ve got to flush this one and move forward,” he said. “Five games in, there’s no reason to panic—but we do need better effort, especially at the plate. We’re just not competing in at-bats.”
Meanwhile, the Padres are riding high, and Show’s masterful performance only adds fuel to the fire of a surging start. San Diego, who has outscored opponents 39-11 through five games, now heads to Atlanta with a full head of steam.
Player of the Game: Eric Show (9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 9 K, 5 BB)
Game Notes:
Time: 2:32
Attendance: 25,004
Weather: Clear skies, 68 degrees
Wind: 6 mph out to center