The Chicago Cubs’ bats fell silent for the second consecutive game in San Diego, as they lost to the Padres 4-2 on Wednesday.

The Cubs (12-9) dropped a series for the first time since the season opener in Japan against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the Padres (15-4) took the rubber game  at Petco Park.

“If you look at the beginning of the season, this was one of the tougher trips,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the loss, which made his team 3-3 on a six-game road trip to LA and San Diego. “We did make ourselves a hard beat, but you’re also kind of frustrated because you feel like there was another game we could have won on the trip.”

The Cubs took an early lead in the third inning. The bottom of their order started the threat, as Carson Kelly singled and Jon Berti walked before leadoff hitter Ian Happ smashed a line drive single into right. Kelly was held at third, loading the bases for Kyle Tucker, who brought him home with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Cubs lead.

The rally was snuffed out just two pitches later, though, as Seiya Suzuki grounded into an inning-ending double play.

That was the only Cubs run against Padres starter Nick Pivetta (3-1), who tossed six innings and allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out six. The right-hander atoned for his disappointing April 5 start at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs tagged him for three runs and six hits in just three innings in the Padres’ 7-1 loss. 

San Diego took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third, as Padres superstars Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado each delivered an RBI single.

Matthew Boyd started on the mound for Chicago and battled through 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three. The left-hander (1-2) took the loss, but his ERA sits at just 2.01 after four starts.

“When you think about 3-3 on the road trip, it does feel better,” Boyd told reporters after the game. “The sting of some tight games, you always think about the ones you could have had the difference in, but we are playing good baseball.”

San Diego added to its advantage in the seventh, as Machado doubled to score Tyler Wade to make it 3-1, but Chicago fought back in the eighth.

Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the inning with a left-on-left home run off Padres reliever Wandy Peralta, bringing the Cubs within one. Happ tried to spark a two-out rally with a loud double down the left field line, putting the potential tying run in scoring position for Tucker, but Peralta struck out the Chicago slugger to end the threat.

The Padres took a 4-1 lead against recently recalled Cubs reliever Luke Little, who struggled to find the strike zone and walked four hitters — including Tatis with the bases loaded — to give San Diego an insurance run.

“Today, we weren’t able to get it done, but at the end of the day, a pretty successful week,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson told the media after the game. “There were a lot of really good moments, I thought the bullpen had some really good moments. Offensively as well — a lot of guys are finding their rhythm and their groove.”

The Cubs return to Wrigley on Friday to open a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT, and fans can watch all the action on Marquee Sports Network and the Marquee Sports Network app.