CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs have clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2008.
The Cubs were assured of at least an NL wild-card slot Friday night when San Francisco lost to Oakland.
First-year manager Joe Maddon and the Cubs missed a chance to seal a playoff berth much earlier in the day when they lost to Pittsburgh 3-2 at Wrigley Field.
[RELATED: Leake, Giants falter in loss to Gray's A's]
The Cubs trail NL Central-leading St. Louis by 7 1/2 games with nine games left. The Cubs are 4 1/2 behind Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot.
The Cubs haven't won a playoff game since the 2003 NL Championship Series. The Cubs haven't won the World Series since 1908.
