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Padres take 1st loss of season, falling 3-1 to Cubs at Wrigley Field after 7-0 start

San Diego Padres v Chicago Cubs CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 4: Shota Imanaga #18 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates ending the inning during the Cubs' home opener against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on April 4, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
(Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)

The San Diego Padres took their first loss of the season, falling 3-1 to the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Padres were off to a 7-0 start to begin the 2025 campaign.

That leaves the Padres' NL West rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, as Major League Baseball's lone undefeated team at 8-0 going into Friday night's matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Cubs starter Shota Imanaga allowed one run and four hits with four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. In three starts this season, the left-hander has given up only two runs in 18 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and seven hits.

Chicago opened the scoring with Nico Hoerner drawing a bases-loaded walk against Padres starter Randy Vásquez. Vásquez walked the bases full with two outs in the first inning, putting Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson on base after getting Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki to fly out. Only one of Vásquez's five pitches to Hoerner was in the strike zone with two of his cutters moving far inside.

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