Tatis Homers as Padres Beat Yankees 4-3

Fernando Tatis Jr. started a Petco Park fireworks show that Gerrit Cole could not put out. Tatis, Jake Cronenworth, and Manny Machado hit consecutive home runs to open the bottom of the first, and the San Diego Padres held off the New York Yankees 4-3 on Sunday, per the Associated Press.

Tatis went opposite field to right for his 20th homer. It was his 19th career leadoff shot and his third this season. Cronenworth followed with his first career opposite-field homer, his fifth of the year, just fair down the left-field line to the Western Metal Supply Co. warehouse. Machado then crushed his 26th to straightaway center. Three swings. Fifteen pitches. A 3-0 lead before Cole could catch his breath.

Three straight, then Campusano

It was the second time in Cole's career he has allowed three consecutive homers to open a game, and the third time he has served up three homers in a single inning. The Southern California native lasted seven innings and finished with four runs on six hits. Luis Campusano added a leadoff solo shot in the seventh to make it 4-0 and give San Diego a little breathing room after the early storm.

Michael King did the quiet work against his former team. The right-hander threw six shutout innings, allowed four hits, struck out three, and walked three to improve to 10-9. It was his second start against New York since the seven-player trade that sent Juan Soto and Trent Grisham east in December 2023. Cole dropped to 8-8 on a night when his fastball kept finding barrels he could not locate.

Yankees push, Miller closes

New York finally woke up in the eighth. Adrian Morejon allowed three runs, highlighted by an RBI double from rookie Spencer Jones, who is from northern San Diego County. The Yankees suddenly had life with the tying run in play. Mason Miller then locked down the ninth for his 33rd save, striking out Ben Rice with a runner on first to end it and quiet Petco's late nerves.

The Padres stayed a half-game behind Arizona for the third NL wild card and took two of three in the series. The Yankees sit at 81-62, hold the AL's top wild-card spot by 2 1/2 games over Boston, and trail Tampa Bay by four in the East. Sunday belonged to the top of San Diego's order. Tatis lit the fuse. Cronenworth and Machado kept pouring gas. Petco finished the job when Miller slammed the door.