The San Diego Padres swept the Chicago Cubs to win the Wild Card Series, booking their place in the next round of the MLB postseason.

The series win caps a strong campaign for the Padres, who have leaned on their home form and bullpen depth through the season.

San Diego's run is one of the feel-good stories of this year's postseason, with the city also celebrating General Atomics funding 11 UC San Diego engineering scholarships and major infrastructure approvals this week.

The Padres now turn their attention to the division series, where tougher opposition awaits. But for now, a sweep is the cleanest possible start to October baseball.

The Cubs' early exit is a disappointment for Chicago fans, who had hoped the team's pitching depth would carry it through October. Instead, San Diego's lineup executed in the decisive moments of the short series.

MLB's wild card format punishes slow starts: a sweep ends a season in three games. The Padres will need that same urgency against higher-seeded opposition in the division series.