HOUSTON — In a tightly fought contest, Fernando Tatís Jr. delivered a decisive solo home run that helped the San Diego Padres secure a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday night. This win prevented the Padres from being swept by the Astros in their series.
Tatís demonstrated his prowess at the plate by launching a 427-foot home run to center field on the first pitch he received from Astros pitcher Tayler Scott in the seventh inning, breaking a 2-2 tie and giving the Padres the lead. His offensive contributions were instrumental throughout the game, as he accounted for all of San Diego’s runs.
In the first inning, Tatís crossed home plate following a miscue by Mauricio Dubón, allowing him to score from second base. Showing his speed and skill, Tatís then led off the third inning with a triple, setting up Gavin Sheets to drive him in with an RBI single, adding another run to the Padres’ tally.
The Houston Astros managed to level the score in the fifth inning, courtesy of a solid single by Dubón, followed by a sacrifice fly from Yordan Alvarez that brought in another run. Despite these efforts, the Astros couldn’t find a way to regain the lead.
The game saw an unfortunate incident early on, as Luis Arraez had to be carted off the field after a collision at first base with Dubón. Arraez appeared to have collided with Dubón’s arm or elbow, leaving him motionless near first base. Medical teams from both sides attended to him before he was placed on a backboard and removed from the field for further medical evaluation.
Dylan Cease delivered a solid performance on the mound for the Padres, conceding just two runs over five innings while striking out six Astros hitters. Alek Jacob earned the win after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings, while Robert Suarez secured the game for San Diego, notching his second save with a clean ninth inning.
For the Astros, starter Framber Valdez put in a strong performance through six innings, allowing two runs across seven hits, though it wasn’t enough to prevent the loss.
A critical juncture of the game came in the eighth inning when Jason Adam faced the potential tying run on second base. Adam maintained his cool and struck out Victor Caratini, preserving the Padres’ narrow lead.
The Padres have been particularly effective in the seventh inning throughout the season, having accumulated 20 runs in that specific frame, the highest for any inning.
Looking forward, the Astros are set to begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays with Hunter Brown, who boasts a 2-1 record and a 1.50 ERA, taking the mound on Monday night. On the other side, the Padres’ Randy Vásquez, with a 1-1 record and a 1.74 ERA, will start their series opener in Detroit.