NEW YORK (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. robbed New York's Francisco Lindor of a grand slam and hit two homers, leading the San Diego Padres to a 5-2 win over the Mets on Tuesday night.
Tatis hit the first pitch from Zac Thornton 452 feet into the second deck in left field for his team-record 18th career leadoff homer. Tatis added a two-run homer off Thornton in the fifth. He has 15 homers after opening the season without a longball in his first 238 at-bats.
But, Tatis' biggest contribution in the game came in the field in the second inning when reached over the wall in in right field and pulled back Lindor’s potential slam. Tatis stood and stared straight ahead when he landed, leaving everyone momentarily confused as to whether he'd caught the ball. Tatis then help up his glove and Padres pitcher Robbie Ray raised his arms and put his own glove on his head.
Tatis’ leaping catch came a night after Mets outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing combined to throw out three Padres players at the plate.
Ty France added a run-scoring single in the seventh for the Padres, who lead the majors with an 18-6 record since July 24. Manny Machado hit his 24th homer of the season, a solo shot in the ninth inning.
Ray (11-7) allowed three hits, including Luis Torrens’ homer, and struck out four in six innings on the way to his first win since being acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline. Mason Miller struck out two in the ninth and earned his 31st save.
New York's Luis Robert Jr. homered in the eighth.
Thornton (3-4) gave up three runs and tied a career-high with seven strikeouts in five innings for the Mets, who are 10-4 since the trade deadline.
Padres RHP Michael King (8-8, 3.41 ERA) starts against Mets RHP Robert Stock (0-2, 6.57 ERA) in Wednesday’s series finale.
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