Tatis homers twice as Padres beat Cubs 10-4 to improve to 11-0 at home

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) is hit with a pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. looks skyward after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr., right, is congratulated by Manny Machado, left, after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. watches his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Luis Arraez, right, is congratulated by Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Luis Arraez (4), right, is congratulated by Gavin Sheets (30) after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado (13) scores ahead of the throw to Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres’ Gavin Sheets (30) points to first base after scoring during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23), center, and Manny Machado (13), left, high-five after two-runs scored during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Chicago Cubs’ Miguel Amaya hits a single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Chicago Cubs’ Michael Busch watches his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Chicago Cubs’ Michael Busch (29), right, is congratulated by Justin Turner (3) after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 14, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

By BERNIE WILSON

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. homered twice and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch as the San Diego Padres improved to 11-0 at home by beating the Chicago Cubs 10-4 on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series between National League division leaders.

The Padres have the best record in the majors at 14-3.

Tatis hit a solo homer with two outs in the third inning, scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch in a three-run seventh and then hit a two-run shot in the eighth. He has six home runs overall — tying seven other players for the big league lead — and five in his last six games. It was his 12th career multi-homer game.

Luis Arraez also homered in the eighth, his second, to give the Padres their first back-to-back homers this season.

The Cubs took a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Michael Busch hit a two-run homer off Dylan Cease, his fourth, after Justin Turner reached on a fielding error by third baseman Manny Machado. Nico Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit consecutive doubles with one out.

Busch’s homer ended a 37-inning scoreless streak by San Diego’s pitching staff, dating to the third inning Wednesday at the Athletics. The Padres shut out the Colorado Rockies in a three-game weekend series.

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The Padres tied it in the sixth and then went ahead in the seventh. Tatis drew a leadoff walk, advanced on Arraez’s double and, after Machado was intentionally walked, raced home on a wild pitch by Nate Pearson (0-1) for a 4-3 lead. Gavin Sheets then hit a two-run single.

Adrian Morejon (1-0) got the win.

Key moment

The Padres caught a break in their two-run sixth when Sheets’ pop fly fell between left fielder Ian Happ and shortstop Dansby Swanson with one out.

Key stat

Tatis broke a tie with Adrian Gonzalez and is now second all-time at Petco Park with 67 homers. Machado has 91.

Up next

Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (2-1, 2.70 ERA) and Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (1-1, 1.72) are scheduled to start Tuesday night.

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