SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sweeping anybody is a big deal for the rebuilding, rookie-laden San Diego Padres.
Make it the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs, and that’s huge for a team that hopes to be contending by 2019 or 2020.
San Diego rookie Franchy Cordero tripled leading off the eighth inning and scored on Yangervis Solarte’s fielder’s choice, and the Padres beat Chicago 2-1 on Wednesday to hand the Cubs their season-high sixth straight loss.
Luis Perdomo, in just his second big league season, and two relievers combined to hold the struggling Cubs to three hits.
The Padres won their season-best fourth straight game and swept the Cubs for the first time since August 2012.
The 22-year-old Cordero, who batted leadoff and struck out in his first three at-bats, made his major league debut on Saturday. Rookie slugger Hunter Renfroe batted cleanup in this one.
And the Padres started rookie Luis Torrens at catcher, giving Austin Hedges a day off.
Perdomo pitched seven strong innings a day after rookie Dinelson Lamet produced another solid outing, striking out eight in five innings of a 6-2 win to improve to 2-0.