Chicago Cubs offense goes quiet, Padres roll 7-1

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Following an offensive explosion on Sunday, the Chicago Cubs had hoped to carry that over to tonight’s game at Cubs Park. The Cubs (12-16) did manage to score first, but that was about the only excitement as the Padres (9-12) routed the Cubs 7-1.

After an RBI ground out in the first from Donnie Murphy, the Cubs allowed seven unanswered as Cubs pitchers had no answers on how to stop the Padres offense. Starter Carlos Villanueva (1-1, 6.32) allowed three runs on three hits, including a home run while taking the loss for the Cubs.

Eric Stults (2-1, 5.29) picked up the win for the Padres allowing one run and scattering five hits over his five and two-thirds innings. Stults got plenty of support as the Padres scored twice in the fourth and again in the fifth to put them up 5-1. They then added two more insurance runs in the eighth.

Brian Schlitter continued his solid spring by striking out the side in his only inning. Schlitter has fanned four over six innings and has a 1.50 ERA this spring.

The Cubs will have split-squad games tomorrow as they take on the Angels at 3:05 p.m. CST at Cubs Park, as the other half will travel to play the Padres in a 09:05 p.m. CST start.