Before Fernando Tatis Jr.’s first career walk-off hit, he did a double take when he saw Tigers manager A.J. Hinch make the surprising decision to intentionally walk Luis Arraez, allowing Tatis to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning.
It was a curious move, as Hinch opted to face Tatis instead of Arraez, who leads the National League with a .311 average.
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On the first pitch from Tigers reliever Jason Foley, he sent a sharp line drive through the left side of the infield, giving the Padres a dramatic 6-5 victory.
The win was crucial for San Diego, who fought back from an early 5-0 deficit and maintained their position in the National League Wild Card race, also marking the first time since 2010 that the team had climbed 19 games above .500.
Tatis shines
It was a big night for Tatis, who was only playing his second game since returning from the injured list. The Padres initially struggled, with starter Yu Darvish laboring through 2 2/3 innings, but a three-run homer from Jackson Merrill began the comeback. Manny Machado‘s two-run single tied the game in the fifth inning, setting up the extra-inning showdown.
Both teams leaned on their bullpens late in the game, and Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada kept the Tigers from scoring in the top of the 10th inning. Foley got two quick outs in the bottom half before walking Arraez intentionally, hoping to face the right-handed Tatis instead.
Hinch‘s strategy seemed sound, as Arraez is one of the best hitters in the league in a situation where a single could win the game. But Tatis took the decision as a challenge and his clutch hit quickly silenced any doubts.