Cubs Edge Padres in Spring Showdown: Carson Kelly Shines
On a sun-soaked afternoon in Mesa, Arizona, the Cubs pulled off a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Padres at Sloan Park, with catcher Carson Kelly delivering the clutch performance that sealed the deal.
Shōta Imanaga took the mound for his spring debut and impressed, allowing just three hits-one an infield grounder and another a bloop to left-while striking out one. His velocity showed a notable uptick, suggesting that last season’s hamstring woes may finally be behind him. If Imanaga can consistently hit 93-94 mph this year, it could spell trouble for opposing batters.
The Cubs jumped ahead early with a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Michael Busch kicked things off with a double, advanced on a ground out, and was driven home by Kelly’s single.
The second inning saw more action as B.J. Murray and Justin Dean singled, and Scott Kingery took one for the team, loading the bases.
Busch was hit by a pitch, bringing in a run, followed by a Matt Shaw sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
Jacob Webb ran into some trouble in the fourth, giving up a pair of runs after walking two Padres. A double by former Cub Nick Castellanos brought them home, cutting the lead to 3-2.
Kelly continued his hot streak with a homer in the fifth, taking advantage of a high fastball and sending it deep. Afterward, Dylan Carlson and James Triantos both walked, setting the stage for Murray, who doubled them in. While Murray’s future with the Cubs is uncertain, his performance is turning heads as he preps for the World Baseball Classic with Great Britain.
The bullpen held strong with Ethan Roberts, Hoby Milner, and Gavin Hollowell each tossing scoreless innings. Hollowell was particularly impressive, striking out all three batters he faced.
A bit of drama unfolded in the eighth when a grounder to third led to an obstruction call, allowing a runner to score. It’s a rare call, but the umpires’ announcement was a welcome clarification. The run was unearned, charged to Jeff Brigham.
Grant Kipp closed things out in the ninth, despite giving up a single and a two-run homer. He settled down to induce two groundouts, securing the win for the Cubs.
The game had its slow moments, with 299 pitches thrown, well above the MLB average. Despite the leisurely pace, the crowd of 9,411 enjoyed the action, bringing the season’s attendance to just under 12,000 per game.
Notably absent were Cubs stars Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, and Dansby Swanson, who are expected to take the field soon. Fans are also eager to see Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera in action, likely later this week.
Next up, the Cubs host the Rockies at Sloan Park, with Jameson Taillon facing off against former Cub José Quintana. Game time is set for 2:05 p.m. CT, though fans will have to catch updates elsewhere as there’s no TV or radio broadcast for this one.