Michael King Takes No-Hit Bid Into Seventh as Padres Rout Cubs
Michael King allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings as the Padres hit three homers and beat the Cubs 8-0 in NL Wild Card Game 1.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Michael King carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and allowed only one hit over seven scoreless frames as the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 8-0 in Game 1 of their National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday night at Petco Park.
King struck out eight, walked three and threw 97 pitches, giving San Diego a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts all homered as the Padres turned the postseason opener into a complete performance on both sides of the ball.
King holds Chicago hitless into the seventh
The Cubs entered the series with one of baseball’s strongest offenses, but King kept them from settling into a rhythm. He did not allow a hit through the first six innings and repeatedly worked out of traffic created by three walks.
Nico Hoerner finally broke up the no-hit bid with one out in the seventh, reaching on an infield single down the third-base line. King responded by completing the inning without allowing a run, ending his night with San Diego firmly in control.
Yuki Matsui worked a perfect eighth before Joe Musgrove finished the three-hit shutout in the ninth. Musgrove allowed two hits but struck out two, preserving San Diego’s three-hit shutout.
Padres stars supply the power
San Diego gave King an immediate advantage and kept adding pressure. Tatis, Machado and Bogaerts each went deep against Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, who allowed four runs and three homers in four innings.
Tatis finished with two hits and scored three times. Machado had two hits, two runs and two RBIs, while Jackson Merrill added two RBIs as part of a balanced Padres attack that produced 13 hits.
The Padres broke the game open with three runs in the fifth, then added another in the seventh when Tatis used his speed to score following a stolen base and an error.
Chicago faces elimination in Game 2
The result puts the Cubs one loss from elimination and leaves San Diego one victory from an NL Division Series matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Petco Park. After King’s dominant start and three home runs from the heart of the lineup, the Padres will have the chance to close the series at home.
