Manny Machado's Crucial Home Run Powers Padres to Game 2 Victory

Manny Machado delivered a no-doubt home run in Game 2, staking the San Diego Padres to a 3-0 lead in their 3-0 victory over the Cubs, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3. Despite being 0-for-6 at that point, Chicago elected to pitch to Machado, who carries a career .846 OPS with 99 home runs against left-handed pitching, a decision Cubs manager Craig Counsell admitted backfired. Padres manager Mike Shildt noted Machado was "heading in a great direction" and "starting to get his groove." Machado himself stated he was "more than happy to swing the bat," focusing on getting to Imanaga. Looking ahead, Machado emphasized the "do or die" nature of Game 3, stating, "We've got to win to advance."