Padres Fall to Cubs Home Run Barrage, Lose 5-1

The Padres could not keep up with the Cubs home run barrage, with Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, and even Jason Heyward going deep for the Cubs against Edwin Jackson in San Diego. They won the game 5-1.

Edwin Jackson was released by the Cubs last season, but he is still getting paid by the club as he continues to his (unofficial) quest to play for all 30 MLB teams. He has added Atlanta, Miami and San Diego to the list since his release to up his total to 11.

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I joke, but Jackson has actually been pretty good for the Padres this season, flirting with a no-hitter on several occasions. He didn’t have that stuff Monday, but of course that is extra tough against these 2016 Chicago Cubs.

Kris Bryant, a former University of San Diego standout, hit his NL tying 32nd home run. Jason Heyward, who is enduring a terrible offensive year, hit a home run but then made a defensive miscue that allowed Brett Wallace to triple. Anyone else and it probably would have been an inside-the-park home run.

Padres Manager Andy Green was sympathetic to Jackson’s plight, noting: “… That’s a tough lineup tonight. You look at the end of five innings, you give up just three runs, you don’t feel so bad about it. That’s where he was. He was on the cusp of a very respectable outing against a really good offense. I don’t necessarily think he’s that far off.”

Chicago has now won 20 of its last 25 games, another impressive streak in a season if impressive streaks. They are certainly the favorites to represent the National League in the World Series, if not overall World Series picks at this point.

Next: Travis Jankowski Continuing Excellence

Jackson is now an even 3-3 with the Padres and an ERA of 5.66, which belies his good starts with several clunkers. Jackson noted how this one was almost okay until Heyward’s homer: “The one that was kind of the dagger in the heart was the Jason Heyward home run. At the end of the day, the hits came on the balls that weren’t well-located. You’ve just got to do a better job of getting ahead in the count.”

The Padres continue the series Tuesday night with 2015 Cy Young Winner Jake Arrieta going up against Christian Friedrich.