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It was fitting that Jameson Taillon started the most consequential Cubs game of the season.
Taillon signed with the Cubs in 2022 precisely for moments like Thursday: A win-or-go-home playoff game at Wrigley Field.
He wanted the ball on Thursday with the pressure of facing the Padres’ challenging lineup and elimination hovering over the team after a quiet Game 2 loss. Taillon threw four scoreless innings, striking out four and walking zero batters in the Cubs’ 3-1 wild-card win over the Padres to advance to the National League Divisional Series for the first time since 2017.