Cubs blow 8-0 lead, lose to San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a go-ahead, two-run home run with two outs in the eighth, two innings after the Padres scored seven runs, and San Diego stunned the Chicago Cubs 9-8 Monday night.

Tatis watched the ball soar into the left field seats, flipped his bat and pumped his fists after hitting his fourth of the year. Tatis was wearing custom cleats honoring the late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Rookie Jackson Merrill was aboard on a leadoff walk off Adbert Alzolay (1-1).

Wandy Peralta (1-0) got the win and Robert Suarez the save, his fourth.

Cubs right-hander Javier Assad, who grew up across the border in Tijuana, took a two-hit shutout and an 8-0 lead into the sixth before the Padres pulled within a run in the sixth that was highlighted by two-run homers by Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts. The Padres had five hits, a walk and an error that inning.

Assad allowed a leadoff walk to Tatis before being chased by Cronenworth’s two-run homer to right, his first. Jose Cuas came on and the next three Padres batters reached, starting with Manny Machado on an error by shortstop Dansby Swanson that made three of the runs unearned. Ha-Seong Kim hit a two-run triple and Luis Campusano an RBI grounder. Bogaerts capped the scoring with a two-run shot off Luke Little, his first. Tatis flied out to right to end the inning.

Assad allowed two runs and three hits, with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Darvish, who pitched for the Cubs from 2018-2020, threw 42 pitches in the second inning, when the Cubs scored four runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Darvish twice loaded the bases and Ian Happ and Bellinger each hit a two-run single.

Darvish got through a quick third inning but was done for the night after allowing four runs and four hits while striking out four and walking three. It was just the 10th time in 281 career starts, including the postseason, that Darvish went three or fewer innings.

The Cubs then jumped on Pedro Avila for four more runs in the fourth. After the Cubs loaded the bases with one out, Bellinger hit a sacrifice fly, Christopher Morel hit an RBI double and Swanson tripled in two more.