- Fernando Tatis Jr. scores winning run on ninth-inning wild pitch after double and stolen base
- Manny Machado homers for Padres’ only other hit in low-offense thriller
- Pirates strand 10 baserunners, continue late-game execution woes in sixth loss of seven games
- Padres manager Mike Shildt improves to 27-5 lifetime at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park
In a rain-soaked Pittsburgh showdown, Fernando Tatis Jr. authored another chapter in his comeback story. Just 24 hours after exiting with a forearm contusion, the Padres star ignited San Diego’s ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double against Pirates closer David Bednar. The dynamic right fielder then showcased his elite base-running IQ, stealing third before capitalizing on a wild pitch that squirted past catcher Joey Bart. Tatis’ headfirst slide beat Bart’s tag by milliseconds, marking MLB’s first game-winning wild pitch since August 2023.
San Diego’s victory masked another anemic offensive performance, with Manny Machado’s seventh-inning solo shot accounting for their only other hit. The Pirates’ Bailey Falter dominated through seven innings, retiring 11 consecutive batters at one point. However, Pittsburgh’s bats continued their season-long struggles in clutch situations. The Bucs went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, most notably failing to score with bases loaded in the fifth against Padres starter Randy Vásquez.
Industry Insight: Late-game wild pitches remain rare deciding factors, occurring in just 2.1% of MLB contests since 2020 (Baseball Prospectus). Teams employing aggressive base-stealing strategies like the Padres convert 38% more of these opportunities according to Statcast data.
Regional Impact: The rain-delayed game at PNC Park highlighted Pittsburgh’s weather-related economic challenges. April home games generate 22% less concession revenue than dome-hosted matchups (PNC Park Operations Report), a factor influencing the Pirates’ push for retractable roof funding.
Padres manager Mike Shildt’s remarkable 27-5 record at PNC Park traces to his Cardinals tenure, where he exploited the stadium’s 28-foot right-field wall. “We train outfielders specifically for Pittsburgh’s unique caroms,” Shildt noted postgame. This tactical edge manifested when Jurickson Profar played Bryan Reynolds’ ninth-inning liner perfectly off the wall, limiting Pittsburgh to a single.
With the win, San Diego joins just three other NL teams boasting four-game streaks. Their bullpen continues to shine, with Robert Suarez’s MLB-leading 13th save completing 6.1 scoreless relief innings over the series. Pittsburgh’s bullpen ERA conversely ballooned to 4.89, worst in the NL Central.
