Cubs 8, Padres 3: Crow-Armstrong Homer Stops Chicago Slide

The lead

April 28, 2026 - San Diego - The Chicago Cubs stopped their three-game slide by doing what the San Diego Padres did to them the night before: answering pressure with a late swing. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run homer in the seventh, and Chicago beat San Diego 8-3 at Petco Park.

The Cubs got run production from multiple lanes. Dansby Swanson doubled in two early, Nico Hoerner doubled in two to break a tie in the sixth, and Crow-Armstrong put the game out of reach in the seventh. Edward Cabrera gave Chicago 5 2/3 innings, and the bullpen finished with 3 1/3 hitless innings.

How the game turned

Chicago struck first in the second when Swanson doubled to center, scoring Michael Busch and Ian Happ for a 2-0 lead. San Diego answered with a solo homer from Xander Bogaerts in the bottom half, then tied it in the fourth when Ty France singled home Bogaerts.

The Cubs took control in the sixth. With the score tied 2-2, Hoerner lined a double to center, scoring Nicky Lopez and Crow-Armstrong. San Diego cut it to 4-3 in the bottom of the inning on Luis Campusano's RBI single, but the Padres never got back even.

Chicago added one more on an Alex Bregman single in the seventh. Then Crow-Armstrong came up with two aboard and crushed a center-cut changeup from Wandy Peralta 410 feet to center. That made it 8-3 and turned a tight game into a comfortable Cubs win.

Pitching and matchup notes

Cabrera improved to 3-0, allowing three runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven. He had to work through traffic, but he left with the lead and gave Chicago a chance to use the bullpen in defined spots.

Hoby Milner and Ryan Rolison combined for the final 3 1/3 hitless innings. That was the quiet difference after San Diego trimmed the lead to one. The Padres had the middle of the order available, but the Cubs' relievers kept the ball out of trouble.

San Diego starter Walker Buehler allowed two runs on three hits over 4 2/3 innings. The loss went to Kyle Hart, but Peralta gave up the swing that made the deficit too large.

Bats that changed the board

Crow-Armstrong's homer was the main event, and he finished as one of the stronger April 28 AthX Engine hitter signals. Hoerner's double was just as important because it broke the tie before San Diego could flip the game. Swanson's early double gave Chicago the first cushion.

For San Diego, Bogaerts homered and France continued to hit, but the Padres did not get the same late answer they found on Monday. Their offense had chances; Chicago's bullpen stopped the game from turning into another back-and-forth finish.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

The Cubs tied Seattle for fifth on the Apr. 28 AthX Engine team board with 16 team FP. Crow-Armstrong led Chicago with 8 AthX Engine hitting FP, while the team score reflected both run volume and bullpen shutdown work.

This is the kind of rebound game that matters for traders. Chicago did not just end a losing streak; it beat a hot San Diego team by creating separation late and protecting it cleanly.

What comes next

The Cubs and Padres finish the series with Chicago looking to turn a bounce-back into a series result. San Diego needs to regroup after a rare home loss and monitor how the late bullpen usage shapes the finale.

For AthX traders, Crow-Armstrong is the name with the loudest swing, but Hoerner and the Cubs bullpen also drove the team fantasy story.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB Gameday, ESPN recap, CBS Sports/AP coverage, and AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*