Fernando Tatis Jr. made an impressive return to the playoffs by hitting a two-run homer in the first inning, leading the San Diego Padres to a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of their National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday night. It was Tatis’ first playoff appearance in four years, and he electrified the sellout crowd of 47,647 at Petco Park with a 415-foot blast that landed in the second deck of left field.
Tatis, who missed over two and a half months this season due to a stress reaction in his right thigh, expressed his excitement about the atmosphere. “It’s beautiful energy,” he remarked. “I love this type of situation. It definitely brings the best out of me.” He confirmed that he was anticipating a fastball and was ready to swing before the pitch was even released, expressing confidence that his shot would clear the fence.
Michael King delivered a stellar performance on the mound for the Padres, striking out 12 batters in his postseason debut, a feat that has never been accomplished with no runs or walks allowed in a first playoff start. King allowed five hits and joined former Padres pitchers Kevin Brown and Sterling Hitchcock as the only ones to achieve double-digit strikeouts in a playoff game. The game lasted just 2 hours and 9 minutes, making it the fastest postseason game since 1996.
With the win, the Padres take an early lead in the best-of-three series. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night, and if the Padres win, they will face their significant rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the National League Division Series. Last season, the Padres eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in the NLDS.
The Braves, who clinched a playoff spot with a recent victory over the New York Mets, faced challenges as they played 27 innings in a little over 24 hours. They were also without their ace, Chris Sale, who missed the game due to back spasms. Rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, who was making his first postseason start, allowed three runs and four hits in just 1⅓ innings and expressed that while there were nerves, they should not be blamed for the loss.
Kyle Higashioka added to the Padres’ lead with a home run in the eighth inning and had a sacrifice fly in the second. Despite the disappointment, Braves manager Brian Snitker noted that the team struggled offensively and the decision on the starting pitcher was not the reason for the defeat.