CHICAGO _ The Cubs scored five second-inning runs and held off the Padres, 5-4, before 40,855 on a sweltering Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Kyle Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo hit tape-measure home runs in the second inning as the Cubs built an early five-run lead.
The Padres battled back with three runs off Kyle Hendricks in the fourth and pulled to within a run on Austin Hedges' sacrifice fly in the sixth. The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh but failed to score.
Hendricks (8-9) pitched 52/3 innings, allowing five hits and four runs with seven strikeouts. Steve Cishek contributed 11/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out the side in the seventh.
Brandon Kintzler was perfect in the eighth, as was Pedro Strop in the ninth to earn his seventh save and second in two days.
The Cubs can win the series on Sunday when Jon Lester takes the mound in the finale.
