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Cubs collapsing, look for series split with Padres

AP Photo Chicago manager Joe Maddon argues a call with home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Yu Darvish (5-6, 4.12 ERA) attempts to salvage a lone victory for Chicago against San Diego this afternoon, after the fading Cubs were shutout 4-0 Wednesday night.

The Cubs are 4-6 over their last 10 games and the one-time NL Central division leaders are now at risk of missing the postseason.

Chris Paddack continued his rookie season with a brilliant performance that hurt the Cubs in their pursuit of a wild-card spot.

Paddack pitched six strong innings for the Padres in Wednesday’s win. Manuel Margot homered off San Diegan Cole Hamels and also made a spectacular catch in center field.

“That’s something I took into my start today, making stuff personal,” the 23-year-old Paddack said. “They’re not going to get a wild-card run if we can’t. That’s just basically what I told myself.”

The Cubs lost for the second straight night and for the fifth time in six games.

Hamels (7-7) didn’t get out of the fifth. The left-hander, who went to Rancho Bernardo High, allowed one run on four hits, struck out six and walked four in 4 1/3 innings.

“It’s not fun,” said Anthony Rizzo, who tripled off Paddack in the second inning but then made two straight outs against the right-hander. “We’ve got to win games. Just because we won one game, doesn’t mean we’re going to catapult into a winning streak.”

Paddack (9-7) held Chicago to three hits while striking out seven and walking one. He retired the side in order in three of his first four innings. After Rizzo tripled to right leading off the second, Paddack retired the side in order.

“There was just a lot going into it,” said Paddack, who added that he was motivated by pitching on the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. “We’ve been playing some really good baseball recently. I just want to make sure I can keep that tempo for the guys and tomorrow we can get a series win.”

Maddon said the Brewers are “definitely playing well and we’re not. Somehow we’ve got to heat this thing up tomorrow and get back home, where we normally play a lot better.”

Maddon said closer Craig Kimbrel, on the IL with right elbow inflammation, probably will be out until next week. He hasn’t pitched since Sept. 1, when he allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning against Milwaukee.

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