In a thrilling postseason opener, the San Diego Padres dominated the Atlanta Braves 4-0 in Game 1 of their National League Wild Card Series. The electric atmosphere at Petco Park was palpable as Fernando Tatis Jr. crushed a towering two-run homer on his first playoff swing in four years, sending the sellout crowd of 47,647 into raptures. The 25-year-old superstar’s 415-foot blast landed in the second deck in left field, marking a triumphant return to the playoffs after missing over two months this season with a stress reaction in his right thighbone.
Tatis’ signature style was on full display as he watched the ball soar, tossed his bat aside, and performed his trademark stutter-step around third base. The Padres will look to build on this momentum in Game 2 on Wednesday night, with a potential matchup against their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, looming in the National League Division Series.
Michael King shone in his first postseason start, striking out 12 Braves batters while allowing just five hits and no walks. The right-hander joined elite company, becoming one of only three Padres pitchers to record double-digit strikeouts in playoff history. King’s impressive outing was a far cry from his playoff debut in 2020, when he pitched in an eerily empty Petco Park due to the pandemic.
The Braves, who clinched a playoff berth just a day prior, were without their ace Chris Sale due to spasms. Rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, one of the team’s top prospects, made his first playoff start and struggled, allowing three runs and four hits in just 1⅓ innings. The Padres’ Luis Arraez, who became the first player since the 1800s to win three batting titles with three different teams, got on base with a leadoff single, setting the stage for Tatis’ heroics.
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