SAN DIEGO — The craziest a part of Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s straight steal of house on Wednesday night time? Just how easy and straightforward he made all of it look.
With the Padres in the hunt for a seventh-inning insurance coverage run, Tatis took issues into his personal arms. He jogged a number of steps down the third-base line, then a number of extra, earlier than breaking right into a full-on dash for house plate, finishing a straight steal of house within the Padres’ 5-2 win over the Orioles at Petco Park.
“I just went for it,” Tatis mentioned afterward.
And he was so simply protected, he didn’t even draw a throw from Orioles left-hander Cionel Pérez.
The play was quintessentially Tatis — simply the suitable mix of instincts and athleticism on the basepaths.
“I kid with him that he’s a witch, and he rides his broom around the bases,” mentioned Padres supervisor Bob Melvin. “That’s pretty much exactly what happened there. It’s like: When he takes off, everybody just gets nervous.”
The Padres, after all, have spent the previous few months trying to find the kind of spark that might propel them again into the National League playoff image. They’ve nonetheless received loads of work left to do. But this certain felt like the kind of spark they’ve been searching for.
Particularly as a result of it helped put the ending touches on a much-needed collection victory over the Orioles, who personal the very best file within the American League. The Padres have made up two full video games of floor within the Wild Card race up to now two days, and are actually 4 1/2 video games out of a playoff place.
“That’s a good team to get two wins from,” mentioned left-hander Blake Snell, who tossed six innings of two-run ball. “So, just keep it rolling, keep moving forward. We’re playing good ball.”
Tatis’ steal marked the ninth straight steal of house in franchise historical past and the primary since Travis Jankowski pulled it off in August 2016. Tatis might solely recall one different steal of house in his skilled profession — enjoying for High-A Fort Wayne in Bowling Green.
The stakes had been notably greater this time. The Padres and Orioles had slugged it out for six innings, separated by one run earlier than Trent Grisham’s solo shot gave San Diego a two-run lead within the seventh.
Tatis needed extra. He singled with two outs, then broke for second, and when Pérez’s pickoff throw received away, he superior to 3rd. Juan Soto proceeded to take strike one, and Tatis seen that the lefty Pérez — who was dealing with first base — didn’t appear to be paying him any thoughts. So Tatis took a number of steps at a light-weight jog, testing the waters.
“I was trying not to call attention from the beginning with a small lead,” Tatis mentioned. “Their third baseman was a bit of bit far. So as quickly as I noticed [Pérez] received engaged and began setting, I simply took my first 4 steps. I used to be him all the way in which. I noticed he was nonetheless trying down.
“And when he saw me, I was already past home.”
That’s not likely a lot of an exaggeration.
“I saw him creeping, creeping, and then he just took off,” mentioned Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. “I think, by that time, Cionel was already coming set, and just the timing was perfect.”
“He’s a very aggressive baserunner and very instinctual,” mentioned Baltimore supervisor Brandon Hyde. “You have to be a little bit more aware. We have to have a little bit better awareness on the field in that situation. But he’s a plus runner — a great runner that has instincts.”
Soto leapt out of the field, permitting Tatis to slip safely into the plate. Tatis promptly sprung to his ft and clapped his arms as Petco Park erupted.
“I’m thinking: ‘All right, I’ve got to hit the ball, I’ve got to bring him home, I’ve got to bring this RBI in,’” Soto mentioned. “And then from nowhere, I just see him running. I’m like: ‘Whoa!’ It’s just really impressive.”
Based on the proof of the previous week, Tatis appears to be all the way in which again. After a latest droop, he’s 12-for-25 within the final six video games, and he touted some changes to make his swing extra compact.
“I’ve shortened up a little bit,” Tatis mentioned. “I’m trying to put better at-bats out there. Sometimes, this game makes you forget how good of a hitter I am, being able to hit the ball to all parts of the field. I just got back to that.”
And as soon as he’s on base …
“He’s that good, he’s that talented,” Snell mentioned. “Anything is possible.”
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