Darvish dominant, Tatis homers twice in Padres' 6-0 win over Cubs

San Diego Padres second baseman Ha-Seong Kim, right, touches gloves with starting pitcher Yu Darvish after Kim threw to first for the out on Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 3, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish struck out nine in seven dominant innings, Fernando Tatis Jr. homered twice and the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 6-0 on Saturday night.

“This is as good as stuff we have seen him have all year,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin said. “He used his fastball more today, more curveball, the split, then went to kind of his cutters and sliders a little bit later, so he really kept them off-balanced.”

Darvish (4-4) rebounded from a May 28 outing at the New York Yankees when he gave up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings in a 10-7 loss.

Against the Cubs, Darvish was in complete command all night, giving up just two singles — Chicago’s only hits of the game — and one walk.

“The two-seamer,” Darvish said through a translator when asked what was his best pitch was on the night. “All-in-all, I think it was a really good game.”

Tatis hit a solo homer in the third and a three-run blast in the eighth for his 11th of the season and 10th multi-homer game in his career. Both home runs were to left-center field.

“We are working hard and I’m just happy this happened,” Tatis said. “It was the whole team playing great baseball. Yu Darvish giving us seven shutout innings, that is amazing.”

Nick Martinez struck out two in the eighth and Brent Honeywell had one strikeout in the ninth to complete the shutout.

Cubs starter Drew Smyly (5-3) took the loss, lasting 5-2/3 innings, giving up three runs and seven hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Placed LHP Justin Steele on the 15-day IL (retroactive to June 1) because of a strained left forearm. Steele underwent an MRI exam Thursday. While the original diagnosis was a “mild” strain, Steele is expected to miss at least a start or two. … Recalled catcher Miguel Amaya from Triple-A Iowa.

Padres: IF Rougned Odor (left groin strain) avoided the IL and is day-to-day. Odor strained his groin while rounding first base Friday. “Way better than I thought he’d be doing,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “I thought it’d be an IL for sure today.”

UP NEXT

Cubs RHP Marcus Stroman (5-4, 2.59) takes the mound Sunday against LHP Ryan Weathers (1-3, 4.61). ___

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