Fernando Tatis Jr. powered the San Diego Padres to a 5-2 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday at Citi Field, halting the Mets' four-game winning streak. Tatis Jr. was a decisive force on both offense and defense, hitting two home runs and robbing Francisco Lindor of a potential grand slam.
Tatis Jr. set the tone on the first pitch of the game, launching a fastball from Mets pitcher Zac Thornton over the left-field wall for a solo home run. He added a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his 15th of the season, which proved to be all the runs the Padres would need.
The most impactful play came in the second inning when the Mets loaded the bases with no outs. Lindor sent a fastball toward the right-field line, but Tatis Jr. ranged to the wall, leapt, and stretched his glove over the fence to steal a grand slam, preserving the Padres' lead and silencing the crowd.
Thornton struggled with Tatis Jr., allowing the two home runs and finishing his outing after five innings, with seven strikeouts. The Mets' offense, which had been red-hot, faltered, going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Luis Torrens hit a solo home run in the sixth for the Mets' first run, and Luis Robert Jr. added another solo shot in the eighth, but it wasn't enough.
The Mets had opportunities, including loading the bases in the second inning without a hit and another two-on, one-out situation in the seventh, but could not capitalize against Padres pitching. Adrian Morejon closed out the game for San Diego, striking out A.J. Ewing to end the eighth and setting down two more batters in the ninth.