Cubs fall to Padres 3-0, face elimination in Game 3 of wild-card series

The Cubs were already down by a run when left-hander Shota Iamanga entered the game.

In a 3-0 loss on Wednesday, manager Craig Counsell went with a right-handed opener against the top of the lineup, which includes right-handed batters Fernando Tatís Jr. and Manny Machado.

Veteran reliever Andrew Kittredge got the assignment, after tossing a perfect inning the night before against a similar pocket of the lineup. But on Wednesday, he allowed back-to-back singles to Tatís and left-handed contact hitter Luis Arraez.

Then, after Kittredge struck out Machado and the Padres pulled off a double steal, San Diego pulled ahead on Jackson Merrill’s sacrifice fly.

Imanaga took the mound in the second inning and faced three left-handed hitters right away, retiring them in order.

No. 9 hitter Freddy Fermin was the first right-handed hitter Imanaga faced, resulting in a leadoff double. But then Imanaga set down the top of the order for another scoreless inning.

The second time he faced the Padres’ top three hitters, however, they tacked on two runs. With one out in the fifth inning, Imanaga walked Tatís. Then Arraez moved him over with a sacrifice bunt.

Against Machado, Imanga threw a first-pitch splitter. But he hung it over the middle of the plate, and Machado hammered it into the left-field stands to pull ahead 3-0.

Padres starter Dylan Cease, who was drafted by the Cubs and began his career with the White Sox, allowed just three hits in 3⅔ scoreless innings.

The two teams’ bullpens held the score the rest of the way.

With the series even at one win apiece, the teams will play in a win-or-go-home Game 3 at Wrigley Field on Thursday.