The Padres set history with a big come from behind victory Thursday, sweeping the Cubs in Wrigley Field for the first time ever in a four game series. Heath Bell’s major league leading 37^th save put the Padres 25 games above .500 for only the second time in team history. The last was the 1998 team that went on to win the National League pennant. With their 10^th win in their last 11 games, the Padres moved 6.5 games ahead of the second place Giants who had yet to play. Here is how they fared in the very friar friendly confines of historic Wrigley Field.

August 16^th, 2010 Padres 9 Cubs 5

WP Kevin Correia (10-7) 6IP 5H 0R 0ER 1BB 5K 0HR

LP Tom Gorzelanny (6-7) 6.33 9H 5R 5ER 3BB 2K 0HR

Kevin Correia won his second in a row and jumpstarted the Friar offense with an RBI double in the fifth to lead San Diego to victory on Monday. Correia became the fourth Padres starter to reach double figures in wins after pitching six shutout innings, striking out five cubs and allowing only five hits.

After going scoreless in the first four innings, the Pads scored in each of the last five innings starting with Correia’s double. Ryan Ludwick added another in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.

Tony Gwynn Jr. scored when Miguel Tejada doubled to let in the seventh inning. Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Headley had RBI singles in the inning also to put the Padres up 5-0. Gonzalez went 2-5 with an RBI a day after going 0-5 with four whiffs.

Kosuke Fukodome got the Cubbies on the board with a two-run two-bagger in the seventh. The Padres got both runs back in the eighth scoring on a wild pitch and Tejada single to go back up 7-2.

But the Cubs would not go away as they scored three on the bottom of the eighth. Alfonso Soriano doubled to deep centerfield scoring Xavier Nady. He would later score on Blake DeWitt’s two run blast to pull the Cubs within two runs.

But Chris Denorfia had a huge hit for the Padres, tripling in two runners to pad the lead to four runs. Heath Bell came in and worked the ninth in a non-save opportunity. He struck out two to complete the Padres 70^th win of the 2010 campaign.

August 17^th, 2010 Padres 1 Cubs 0

WP Jon Garland (12-8) 7IP 4H 0R 0ER 3BB 4K 0HR

LP Randy Wells (5-11) 7IP 3H1R 1ER 3BB 6K 0HR

S Heath Bell (36) 1IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2K 0HR

Heath Bell earned his major league leading 36^th save with a roller coaster of a ninth inning as San Diego held on to beat Chicago 1-0. Bell entered the game in the ninth with a one run lead. He gave up a leadoff single to Aramis Ramirez before striking out the next two Cubs. That brought up Blake DeWitt who homered the night before. DeWitt launched a long fly ball towards the backpedalling Ryan Ludwick. Ludwick made a small leaping catch while falling back against the ivy to record the final out.

Jon Garland pitched excellent for seven innings, allowing no runs despite walking three Cubs and surrendering three hits. He retired the last 12 Chicago batters he faced.

The Padres only run came in the first inning when Jerry Hairston Jr. led the game off with a single. He advanced to second when Miguel Tejada walked and moved onto third when Adrian Gonzalez line out to center field. Ryan Ludwick took one for the team to load the bases. Hairston scored when Chase Headley grounded out to first base, advancing all runners.

August 18^th, 2010 Padres 5 Cubs 1

WP Clayton Richard (11-5) 6.33IP 7H 1R 1ER 2BB 2K 0HR

LP Casey Coleman (0-1) 4.33IP 6H 3R 3ER 3BB 1K 1HR

The Padres bats returned in game three in the friendly confines, scoring five runs to beat the Cubs Wednesday, 5-1.

Adrian Gonzalez went 2-2 with a home run. He reached base in all five plate appearances picking up walks. He scored three times, first on Matt Stairs’s bases loaded double that put the Padres up 2-0 to start the game. He also scored on Andrew Cashneer’s wild pitch in the eighth.

Chase Headley had a sacrifice fly to put the Padres up 5-1 in the top of the ninth. It was his 49^th run batted in this year.

The Cubs score their only run in the second when Jeff Baker hit a double to left centerfield scoring Alfonso Soriano.

Tony Gwynn Jr. was injured in the sixth inning while fouling off a pitch. The team listed him as day to day with a sprained wrist.

The win coupled with the Giants loss gave the Padres a six game lead in the NL West and a 72-47 record overall.

The Cubs traded first baseman Derek Lee to Atlanta for three minor leaguers. The Braves placed first baseman Troy Glaus on the DL where he will rehab in Triple-A Richmond at his former position, third base. The braves hope he will take over the hot corner for the injured Chipper Jones who is out for the rest of the season.

August 19^th, 2010 Padres 5 Cubs 3

WP Mat Latos (13-5) 7IP 5H 2R 2ER 1BB 10K 0HR

LP Sean Marshall (6-4) 0,33IP 4H 4R 4ER 1BB 0K 0HR

S Heath Bell (37) 1IP 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 1K 0HR

Mat Latos established a new career high fanning 10 Cubs and earned his thirteenth win on the season. His only hiccup was when he gave up back to back doubles with two outs in the sixth. Kusoke Fukodome scored all the way from first base when Marlon Byrds double down the left field line eluded Will Venable on a carum. Byrd would soon after when Venable got turned around on Aramis Ramirez deep fly ball, bouncing off the wall for a two bagger.

Venable would redeem himself the next inning in a big way. Sean Marshall relieved Carlos Zamranoe and walked the first batter he faced, Miguel Tejada. He would then give up three consecutive singles to Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Ludwick, and Chase Headley, tying the games with the bases loaded and no outs. Yorvit Torealba would fly out to shallow left leaving the bags full with Venable coming up with one out.

With two strikes Venable reached for a low pitch that he hit to shallow center scoring two. Chase Headley made it to third on a wide throw advancing Venable to second base.

Chris Denorfia grounder got Headley caught up in a rundown. He was eventually tagged out by catcher Koyie Hill by third base with Venable reaching third safely. Hill then walked back towards the pitcher thinking he had been granted time. A heads up Venable saw that nobody was covering home and broke for the plate scoring ahead of Xavier Nady who was coving on a late throw.

Heath Bell recorded his 37^th save in 40 tries this season. He did allow a run on back to back singles by Soriano and Blake DeWitt. He struck out Hill swinging for the third out.