Tatis returns to Padres in OF, hits two home runs
PHOENIX — Fernando Tatis Jr. took a few practice swings and stepped into the batter’s box with his usual swagger. He had one thought running through his head as he returned to San Diego’s lineup.
“Make them remember why they missed you,” he said grinning.
The 22-year-old All-Star certainly accomplished that goal with a stellar return from the injured list, slugging two home runs, driving in four and leading the Padres to an 8-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Jake Cronenworth also went deep, helping San Diego stop a four-game losing streak.
Playing right field for the first time in his professional career and batting leadoff, Tatis ripped a double down the third-base line to start the game.
He hit his first home run of the afternoon in the third — a towering solo shot that cleared the wall in left. His 33rd home run came in the fifth and was more of a low liner, but cleared the wall in approximately the same spot and gave the Padres a 2-1 lead.
“Fernando being Fernando,” Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer said. “It never ceases to amaze any of us.”
It was Tatis’ fifth multihomer game this season and No. 8 for his career.
Cronenworth’s two-run shot later in the fifth pushed San Diego ahead 4-1. It was his 17th of the season.
Tatis added a bases-loaded single in the eighth that brought home Victor Caratini and Trent Grisham. Ta- tis had been on the injured list since July 31 after partially dislocating his left shoulder for the third time this season.
The electrifying star usually plays
shortstop, but the Padres decided to move him to the outfield for the time being. The hope is there’s less chance he’ll get hurt, allowing him to stay in the lineup for the rest of the season.
He wasn’t challenged much in the outfield on Sunday but made a few routine catches.
BRAVES 6, NATIONALS 5 Dansby Swanson homered for the third consecutive game, and Atlanta beat Washington to sweep the series. REDS 7, PHILLIES 4 Jonathan India homered and scored three times, leading Cincinnati over Philadelphia.
MARLINS 4, CUBS 1 Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jesus Aguilar homered, and Miami handed Chicago its 11th consecutive loss.
GIANTS 5, ROCKIES 2 Tommy La Stella had three hits and two RBI for San Francisco, and Alex Wood pitched into the seventh inning to win his fifth consecutive decision.
BREWERS 2, PIRATES 1 Willy Adames scored twice and Christian Yelich had two hits, helping Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh.
DODGERS 14, METS 4 Max Muncy hit two of the Dodgers’ five home runs as Los Angeles beat New York to sweep a three-game series.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
YANKEES 5, WHITE SOX 3 Rougned Odor hit a two-run home run and Nestor Cortes pitched six solid innings, leading New York over Chicago.
INDIANS 11, TIGERS 0 Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie retired the first 23 Detroit batters in order before Harold Castro lined a single to right with two outs in the eighth inning.
RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 2 Eduardo Rodriguez pitched six effective innings, J.D. Martinez hit a three-run home run and Boston sent Baltimore to its 11th consecutive loss.
BLUE JAYS 8, MARINERS 3 Teoscar Hernandez, Randal Grichuk, Corey Dickerson and Marcus Semien homered, powering Toronto over Seattle.
ANGELS 3, ASTROS 1 Reid Detmers pitched six innings of three-hit ball to earn his first major-league victory, and Los Angeles avoided a three-game sweep to Houston.
TWINS 5, RAYS 4 Jorge Polanco hit a game-ending sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to lift Minnesota over Tampa Bay.
RANGERS 7, ATHLETICS 4 Rookie DJ Peters connected on a pair of two-run home runs for Texas, and Kolby Allard was solid in his first win in two months in a victory over Oakland.
INTERLEAGUE
CARDINALS 7, ROYALS 2 Nolan Arenado homered for the third consecutive game, and St. Louis completed an in-state sweep of Kansas City.