CHICAGO — While discussing the Wrigley Field wind factor last weekend in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse, starter Shota Imanaga insisted he doesn’t worry about it when he’s pitching.

“I don’t think the wind matters that much,” he said through an interpreter. “Realistically, even if the wind is blowing in and they square up, it’s still going to go for a homer.”

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado proved Imanaga right on Wednesday in Game 2 of the wild-card series, hitting a two-run, fifth-inning home run into the wind off the left-hander that paved the way to a 3-0 win over the Cubs, evening the best-of-three series at a game apiece.

Why did manager Craig Counsell let Imanaga face Machado with two outs, a runner on second and first base open, after taking the precaution of using an opener in Andrew Kittredge to avoid that matchup in the first inning?

“Look, the results suggest that we should have done something different,” Counsell said. “Really just confidence in Shota, plain and simple. I thought he was pitching well. I thought he was throwing the ball really well, and unfortunately he made a mistake.”

Or two mistakes, if you count Counsell’s decision to pitch to Machado.

Instead of resting up for a National League Division Series matchup on Saturday in Milwaukee, the Cubs face the Padres one more time in a do-or-die Game 3 on Thursday at Wrigley, with Jameson Taillon facing Yu Darvish.

“This is why I’m here, to pitch these types of games,” Taillon said. “I love everyone in here. Just want to go out and be that guy.”

In a season where the Cubs have almost always done things the hard way, no one should be surprised it’s happening once again. On the bright side, if you didn’t live through Game 5 of the 1984 National League Championship Series, you’re now in luck.

This is exactly how your grandparents felt after the Cubs blew a 2-0 series lead to the Padres to force a decisive Game 5. Google it, kids.

The outcome might be different this time, but the anxiety level remains the same as it ever was.

Giving up home runs has been a recurring theme for Imanaga in the second half of the season, which was one reason why Counsell opted to use Kittredge as his opener in Game 2. But that also made his decision to let Imanaga pitch to Machado in the fifth so puzzling.

Counsell wanted a right-hander to start against the Padres’ top right-handed hitters — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Machado — and planned on bringing Imanaga in during the second inning after the coast was clear. But Kittredge gave up singles to Tatis and Luis Arraez, the first two batters he faced. After a one-out double steal, he served up a sacrifice fly to Jackson Merrill, giving the Padres a quick 1-0 lead.

“If I want to get nit-picky, the pitch to Tatis could’ve been a little lower,” Kittredge said. “Overall, I felt like the location was good. The pitch to Arraez was well under the zone. He’s such a good contact hitter, to get the barrel to it there hurts.

“But really, in hindsight, letting the double-steal (happen hurt.) I was very aware of Tatis. He was hopping around there. He just picked the one pitch that was a good one to go on. That was the most frustrating part of the outing to me.”

It remained 1-0 in the fifth when Counsell made a decision that seemed out of character for a manager who relies on his bullpen as much as he does. Machado walked to the plate with a runner on second and two outs, with right-hander Michael Soroka warming up in the bullpen.

Counsell had three options: call on Soroka, intentionally walk Machado for the left-handed hitting Merrill, or roll the dice and let Imanaga face the Padres slugger.

Cubs fans everywhere made their call and awaited the outcome. Some had their fingers on their phones, waiting to send out a social media post blasting Counsell if the move backfired, because that’s the world we live in.

The manager knew he would be barbecued if something bad happened, but kept his faith in Imanaga, who has been one of his top starters for the last two seasons, only to have some hiccups in the last month.

Counsell said he didn’t consider using Soroka, but did consider an intentional walk. Either way, Imanaga grooved an 84-mph splitter on the first pitch and watched Machado launch it into the left-field bleachers, taking the air out of the ballpark.

“In that situation, walking him wasn’t really too much in my head,” Imanaga said. “It was maybe like 50-50. But that splitter was meant for down in the zone, and just hung it a little bit. For me, it’s like ‘Why did that happen?’ It’s going to be something I think about and make the adjustments I need to.”

Padres manager Mike Shildt, meanwhile, made all the right moves, including having starter Dylan Cease intentionally walk Carson Kelly in the fourth inning to bring in left-hander Adrian Morejon to face struggling Pete Crow-Armstrong. Morejon induced Crow-Armstrong to tap weakly to first, ending the threat. Crow-Armstrong went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and is hitless in six at-bats with five strikeouts and some more helmet tosses in this wild-card series.

Ian Happ, who is 0 for 8 with five strikeouts, also has been shut down by Padres pitching, while Kyle Tucker ended an 0-for-7 skid with a ninth-inning single.

The Cubs finished with only four hits on the afternoon, and are hitting .175 in the first two games. Padres reliever Mason Miller struck out five in a row in two hitless innings, pumping fastballs of 103 and 104 mph like he was handing out Halloween candy. Miller has eight strikeouts in 2 2/3 hitless innings in the first two games.

“We’re going to have to produce more offense tomorrow, there’s no question,” Counsell said matter-of-factly.

Crow-Armstrong said his confidence has not waned, and pointed to the stellar defensive play in the first two games.

“I don’t think that’s what I show up here to do, make my individual mark,” he said. “I’ve said this so much this year, so I hope everyone takes that with them — I love playing center field and right now, that’s my job.”

Now it’s up to the Cubs offense to wake up, and for Taillon to keep the Padres at bay. Taillon was the Cubs’ second-best starter after Cade Horton down the stretch, and brings some playoff experience to his start.

“Every start kind of has its own life,” Taillon said. “They don’t care how I’m feeling. But you obviously want to go in with some momentum, some confidence. I feel good about where I’m at, and I feel good about the work we’ve done between starts, and I’ll be ready to go.”

It’s not an unfamiliar situation for the Cubs or their fans, who know the drill all too well.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and keep the antacids nearby, just in case.

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