Fernando Tatis Jr. stepped into the batter’s box with the San Diego Padres trailing the Athletics 5-2 in the final game of the series at Petco Park on Sunday. Jackson Merrill and Ramon Laureano were on base after drawing walks and Tatis represented the tying run that could have sparked a ninth inning walk-off win or at least sent the game into extra innings. The Friar Faithful wanted to see their homerless superstar connect on a game-tying home run that would have ended his drought and propelled
Tatis to a power surge to end the month. Instead, Tatis hit a 2-0 fastball on the outer half of the plate into right field. Jesse Agler calling the game on 9.3 The Fan, described the ball as high, but not deep and it came down into the glove of Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler to give San Diego a three-run loss. If you look at the box score, Tatis had a good day at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 but it is the final at-bat that will be talked about more than any other.
The Padres were able to collect nine hits in the game but were unable to push a run across the plate until the bottom of the sixth inning. Miguel Andujar led off the inning with a double and that was followed by a Gavin Sheets groundout, which pushed Andujar to third base. Manny Machado was able to lift a flyball deep into left field that allowed Andujar to tag up and score from third. Xander Bogaerts singled with two outs in the inning and was able to steal second base, but Merrill grounded out to end the inning, one batter later.
San Diego was trailing 4-1 when the Padres came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ty France changed that when he hit a one-out solo home run to right field to make the score, 4-2. A popout by Rodolfo Duran and a groundout by Tatis ended the inning.
San Diego had to claw out of a 4-0 deficit after Michael King went just 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. It was not what anyone expected to see from King following his fabulous seven-inning start against the Los Angeles Dodgers his last time out. King had trouble throwing his changeup for strikes and he was unable to make the necessary adjustment to get control before throwing 81 pitches and being removed from the game.
The Padres bullpen did well under the circumstances. Ron Marinaccio pitched three scoreless innings allowing one hit, one walk and two strikeouts. Wandy Peralta followed with 1.1 scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and two strikeouts. Bradgley Rodriguez came on in the ninth and surrendered a run one three hits to put the Athletics ahead, 5-2 but he did record three strikeouts while walking one.
Bogaerts and France joined Tatis with multiple hits int the game. They each had two hits, while Andujar and Sheets chipped in with one hit apiece.
The Padres open a series against the Philadelphia Philles today at Petco Park at 3:40 p.m.
Padres News:
- It was a tough day in the San Diego minor league system as all four full-season minor league teams took losses.
- The Padres could be looking to bolster their bullpen with a trade partner from within the division.
Baseball News:
- Aaron Judge hits walk-off home run to lead the New York Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays.
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto led the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
- The Miami Marlins got a walk-off grand slam to beat the New York Mets, 4-0.
- Corbin Carroll hit two triples and helped the Arizona Diamondbacks get a 9-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.
- Former Dodgers player Chris Taylor retired, unretired and has now retired again.
- The Minnesota Twins completed a sweep of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
- Dylan Cease and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game early and the Toronto Blue Jays lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-1.
