- Tatis Jr. smashes franchise-record 12th career leadoff home run
- Cronenworth's 8th-inning blast breaks 3-3 deadlock
- Braves' Kelenic homers in NL wild-card series rematch
- Padres bullpen strikes out 4 in final 2 scoreless innings
In a tense revival of last season's postseason drama, the San Diego Padres outlasted the Atlanta Braves 4-3 Friday night at Petco Park. Fernando Tatis Jr. immediately electrified the crowd by sending Reynaldo López's first pitch 429 feet to left-center field, marking his 12th career leadoff homer - extending his own club record.
The Braves responded in the third when Marcell Ozuna lined a two-out, two-RBI single to right field. San Diego rookie Jackson Merrill continued his hot streak with three hits, including a crucial double that set up Xander Bogaerts' RBI knock in the fifth. Atlanta's Jarred Kelenic temporarily silenced the home crowd with a 7th-inning solo shot to right, his first homer in 23 career at-bats against Padres pitching.
San Diego's bullpen proved decisive, with Jason Adam striking out three Braves in the 8th before Robert Suarez's perfect ninth. The victory extends the Padres' MLB-best record in one-run games to 11-4 this season, showcasing their improved late-game execution under manager Mike Shildt.
Industry Insight: Teams scoring first now hold a .683 win percentage league-wide, up 11% from 2023 (MLB StatsHub). The Padres' 18 first-inning runs rank third in the National League, emphasizing their revamped emphasis on early aggression.
Regional Impact: Friday's sellout crowd marked San Diego's 14th consecutive home sellout, with tourism officials estimating $4.2M in local economic impact from Braves series visitors.
With Merrill emerging as Rookie of the Year candidate and Tatis Jr. posting MVP-caliber numbers, the Padres now hold baseball's third-best post-All Star break record (21-9). Saturday's pitching matchup features Atlanta's Spencer Schwellenbach against San Diego's Randy Vásquez in a battle of rising arms.