Padres Beat Cubs in Wild Card Series Opener
Listen to the story
The San Diego Padres won the first game of a baseball series. They played against the Chicago Cubs. This is called a Wild Card Series. The winner can go to the next round of the playoffs.
The Padres won the game 8 to 0. This is called a shutout. The Cubs did not score any runs.
Fernando Tatis Jr. played very well. He hit a home run on the first pitch of the game. He scored three runs in total.
The Padres got 13 hits and hit three home runs. Many players helped the team win.
Three pitchers played for the Padres. They worked together to stop the Cubs from scoring. This is called a bullpen relay.
One pitcher came back to play after two years away. He had not pitched in a game for two years.
For the Cubs, Seiya Suzuki got only one hit. Another Cubs player struck out three times.
Now the Cubs must win the next game. If they lose again, they are out of the playoffs.
Vocabulary7 words
- Padres
- a baseball team from San Diego
- Wild Card Series
- an early round in the playoffs
- shutout
- a game where one team scores zero
- home run
- a hit that scores a point right away
- hits
- times a batter hits the ball well
- pitchers
- players who throw the ball to the batter
- bullpen relay
- using many pitchers, one after another
📚 Ready to use these words in a real conversation?
Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.
Quiz
Answer key
1. 8-0 2. Fernando Tatis Jr. 3. True
✅ Nice work on the quiz!
Keep the momentum going — book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The San Diego _____ won the first game of a baseball series.
They played against the Chicago _____.
The Padres won the game 8 to _____.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a _____ on the first pitch of the game.
He scored _____ runs in total.
The Padres got 13 _____ and hit three home runs.
Three _____ played for the Padres.
One pitcher came back after _____ years away.
Seiya Suzuki got only one _____.
If the Cubs lose again, they are _____ of the playoffs.
🎓 Enjoyed this story?
Turn today's reading into real speaking practice with a live Preply tutor.
