SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit just his second home run of the season with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the San Diego Padres to a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Tatis lined a 2-1 pitch from Chase Petty (0-1) into the first row of seats in left field, with a launch angle of just 18 degrees. He spread his arms wide in celebration as he approached second base and did an exaggerated stutter step around third. His jersey
was torn off during a wild celebration.
He didn't hit his first homer of the season until May 30 at Washington. Wednesday's homer was the fifth career walk-off for Tatis and fifth of the season for San Diego, which won for just the fourth time in 16 games.
The Padres took two of three Cincinnati, who scored all their runs Wednesday on three home runs.
Cincinnati took a 4-2 lead on its third homer, by Eugenio Suárez off Ron Marinaccio with one out in the eighth.
San Diego tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Gavin Sheets and a run-scoring single by Samad Taylor.
The rally got Michael King off the hook for what would have been his fourth straight loss. He has allowed six home runs in his last four starts, including two in each of his last two starts. Wandy Peralta (1-0) pitched the ninth.
King allowed Spencer Steer’s two-run shot into the second deck in left field in the fourth that gave the Reds a 2-1 lead.
San Diego tied it in the fifth when Tatis' two-out single brought in Rodolfo Durán, aboard on a one-out double.
JJ Bleday homered off King with two outs in the seventh, his 11th, for a 3-2 lead.
Reds LHP Nick Lodolo (2-1, 5.51 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night at home against Arizona.
Padres RHP Griffin Canning (0-4, 6.34 ERA) is expected to start Friday night at Baltimore.
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