Matt Johnson
The San Diego Padres needed a heroic moment from their biggest star in the 9th inning and Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered a game-tying blast that fans won’t forget for a long time.
San Diego entered the 9th inning trailing 6-3 and everything had to go right just for a shot at the comeback. After Victor Caratini grounded out and Tommy Pham struck out swinging, the Houston Astros could taste victory. With Ryan Pressly on the mound, sporting a 1.25 ERA, Houston seemed poised to win.
Manny Machado then drew a four-pitch walk and Jake Croneworth lined a double to left field. Suddenly, Fernando Tatís Jr. stepped to the plate with a chance to deliver an iconic moment. After seeing consecutive four-seam fastballs, the All-Star shortstop took the third heater and sent it towering onto the train tracks at Minute Maid Park.
According to StatCast, the baseball left Tatis Jr.’s bat at 114.9 mph. It was the fourth-fastest outcome this season and the ball screamed over the seats before crashing into the tracks for a 448-foot blast.
The three-run shot is No. 15 for Tatís Jr. and gives him 36 RBIs on the year. The 22–year-old is playing through a significant shoulder injury and recently returned after testing positive for COVID-19. Despite missing significant time, Tatīs Jr. is squarely in the race for NL MVP.
