It began like any other regular-season night in April. The crisp San Diego air, a crowd buzzing with anticipation, and one at-bat that looked routine… until it was absolutely not. A seemingly forgettable moment became the talk of the game by flipping momentum in the blink of an eye. What came after that was not just a transformation in score, but rather a chain reaction of errors and fan-fueled chaos. Caught in the middle of all that was Manny Machado, a defensive fumble, and a fanbase that thought to twist the sharp knife a little intensely than usual.

Everything began to fall apart in the fifth inning. The Cubs had two golden opportunities to end the at-bat. However, two foul pop-ups that were catchable got dropped. It could have been an easy out, but instead, the batter got another shot. And he did not waste it. Then, Manny Machado came forward and crushed a solo homer to left field. In this way, one mistake became a big moment, and the Padres made it count.

However, it was not just related to the HR but rather the opportunity where Machado got to swing again. “I was definitely excited to see some more pitches”, the star slugger said after the game. Sure, while the star enjoyed that moment, what came after was a script the Cubs will not forget quickly. Because karma, as always, had plans.

By the sixth inning, the Cubs were done feeling sorry for themselves. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s effective safety squeeze tied it all up. However, they were not settling for even. Fast forward past a few innings and Nico Hoerner came through with a triple that broke the tie and shattered the opponent team’s 11-game home win streak. the comeback was best summed up by Craig Counsell to the reporters: “That was just grit… We made mistakes, but we did not fold”.

That sentence concludes it effectively. The Cubs did not fold—they reacted. That reaction hit Padres fans right where it hurt most: not just on the scoreboard, but in the storyline – their big moment became a nightmare and Cubs Nation ensured that they savored every bit of the drama.

Fans fire up the troll engine after Cubs win

The Padres‘ playoff hopes have long walked a tightrope and fans were not shy about highlighting it. One fan said, “it is the same Diego Wild Cards”, mocking San Diego’s inability to shed their image as a middle-tier and flash-in-the-pan opponent. For a team with a $209M payroll and the likes of Machado, Bogaerts and Tatis Jr., that is not exactly where the team envisioned itself. Same names, same hype—same outcomes?

Then came the sting. “That one hurts lmaooo”, one fan chuckled online, reacting to the moment that unraveled it all—yes, the blown two-out chance and walk-off in extras. That “hurt” was enhanced when you dive into the bullpen data: Padres relievers have now allowed runs in 10 of their last 14 outings. That late-inning stumble has quickly become a trend, not a fluke. Mix that with the team going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring place at the period of this game and yeah… that does hurt.

On the other end of the mound, confidence soared. One fan said, “Cubs are back baby”. It highlighted what could be the most exciting stretch for the Cubs’ baseball in years. And why not? The team has established a record of 12-8 with a .600 OPS in 2025, and they have knocked off division competitors and high-payroll teams alike. With such data, the fandom’s celebration is not arbitrary—they are sensing something legit. It is not just April magic; this could be a real turning point.

Then a fan reacted in a sarcastic way: “Ouch x2”. Short, but effective. The double “ouch” summed up the Padres’ entire outing with two missed foul balls, a HR and then the walk-off loss. The data backs it up the pain too. The Cubs snapped the Padres’ 11-game winning streak at Petco Park. The Padres carried a 15-game home winning streak into the game, dating back to last year. It is not one play that sums up a night, however, this one echoed through every inning afterward. Hence, double the pain, double the ouch.

Finally, someone said, “and the Padres still took an L”. After the dramatic HR and “momentum”, the outcome stayed the same. The Cubs’ Shota Imanaga allowed four hits and an unearned run in five innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. However, the Padres Randy Vasquez lasted five-plus innings, providing seven hits and a run while walking two and fanning two. San Diego got on the board in the fifth when Machado ripped a 400-foot homer to left-center. It came after Tucker dropped his foul fly, after third baseman Gage Workman clanked a foul pop-up. It was Machado’s second homer.

Baseball can be brutal, and when you are under the focus, fans will remind you just how brutal it gets. From missed scopes to blown leads, the Padres’ night became a meme-worthy mess, while the Cubs found themselves some fresh air again.

Want more stories like this? Stay tuned and join the interaction—because baseball drama never takes a day off.