Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a tie-breaking grand slam in the seventh inning Sunday afternoon for the visiting San Diego Padres, who avoided being swept by beating the New York Mets with a 7-3 triumph in the finale of a three-game series.
The Padres won for just the fourth time in 14 games and scored more than four runs for the second time in that span. The Mets lost for the second time in seven games.
The Padres trailed 2-1 entering the seventh inning against Jeurys Familia (2-1), who allowed two hits in a scoreless sixth before laboring in his second frame. Familia walked Eric Hosmer leading off the seventh before Jake Cronenworth delivered a pinch-hit single. After Webster Rivas bunted the runners over, Familia whiffed pinch-hitter Trent Grisham.
Familia got ahead 1-2 on Jurickson Profar, who was pinch-hitting for pitcher Chris Paddack, but Profar fouled off a pair of pitches before working a walk. Tommy Pham then drew a four-pitch walk to force home the tying run.
Tatis greeted Jacob Barnes by homering well into the left field stands on a 2-1 pitch for his 19th homer of the year and the third grand slam of his career. The 22-year-old superstar, who entered Sunday with a share of the National League lead in both homers and stolen bases, lingered on his follow through before tossing his bat aside.
Manny Machado followed with a homer to cap the six-run outburst.
The rally made a winner out of Paddack (3-5), who allowed two runs on six hits and no walks while striking out nine over six innings. He carried a 1-0 shutout into the fifth, when Jose Peraza hit a two-run homer.
Pham led off the game by homering against Joey Lucchesi and finished 2-for-3 with a pair of walks.
Francisco Lindor and Mason Williams each had two hits for the Mets. Dominic Smith scored from second in the eighth, when Cronenworth’s throw to first was errant on Tomas Nido’s infield single.
Lucchesi, opposing his former team for the second straight start, gave up the one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six over five innings.
–Field Level Media