Busch walkoff homer lifts Cubs over Padres 3-2

Michael Busch led off the ninth inning with a game-ending home run, Cody Bellinger went deep in his return from broken ribs and the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Bellinger had three hits after missing two weeks. He gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead when he connected leading off the fourth against Randy Vásquez.

Shota Imanaga was in line to win his fifth straight start before the Padres broke through in the eighth.

Chicago’s Héctor Neris (2-0) pitched out of a jam in the ninth, when he retired Jackson Merrill on a pop fly with runners on first and second.

Busch won it in the bottom half when, in a driving rain, he knocked the first pitch he saw from Enyel De Los Santos (1-2) out to right for his first career game-ending homer. He got mobbed by his teammates as he crossed the plate.

It was a sweet return for Bellinger, who fractured two ribs on his right side when he ran into the center field wall at Wrigley Field trying to make a play against the Houston Astros on April 23. The 2019 NL MVP had been heating up prior to the injury, going 10 for 30 with three homers and seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

Manager Craig Counsell said the Cubs planned to have Bellinger serve as the DH on Tuesday and probably Wednesday before deciding whether to play him in the field. Meanshile, Seiya Suzuki was headed to Iowa to play Wednesday and Thursday and could return this weekend at Pittsburgh.




(AP Photo Erin Hooley)