SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) #23 of the San Diego Padres has a cooler dumped on him by teammate Manny Machado #13 after he hit a walk-off double during a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park September 20, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
The Padres won. The Braves lost. That makes for a pretty good Friday night in San Diego.
Fernando Tatis Jr.'s walkoff double in the 10th inning helped the Friars open their final home (regular season) series of the year with a 3-2 win over the White Sox in front of yet another sellout crowd at Petco Park. Couple that with Atlanta's 4-3 loss in Miami and San Diego's Magic Number is down to three.
Realistically, to have a chance to secure a postseason berth at home they will have to sweep Chicago, which is infinitely possible. The White Sox have been swept 21 times this year. Their best chance to avoid it being 22 was having All-Star lefty Garrett Crochet on the mound to start the series.
The kid was every bit as good as advertised. He's on an innings limit and only went 4.0 frames but still struck out eight and allowed just one hit. Good thing for the Padres they had their own ace on the hill.
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Joe Musgrove was his usual brilliant self, tossing 6.0 innings of shutout ball with nine punchouts and, for the second straight outing, no walks. It looked for a bit like he'd be saddled with no run support but in the bottom of the 6th, his bats hooked him up.
Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado both singled with two outs then Jackson Merrill kept doing magical things. The rookie lofted a flare in between three defenders in shallow right-centerfield for a 2-run double that put the Padres on top 2-0. Jason Adam and Tanner Scott kept it that way with scoreless innings.
The 9th, however, has turned into a bit of a problem. All-Star closer Robert Suarez gave up a walk then served up a 2-run homer to 2nd baseman Lenyn Sosa, the third home run he's allowed in September. The homer tied it 2-2 and forced extra innings. Unlike 2023, that's a space the Padres thrive in.
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Adrian Morejon kept the White Sox off the board and Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the bottom of the 10th with a line shot double to right-centerfield to being home Brandon Lockridge with the game-winning run. It's the 2nd walkoff hit of the season for Tatis Jr., the latest installment of what's been a magical baseball season in San Diego that shows no signs of slowing down.
San Diego can win the series on Saturday evening with lefty Martin Perez taking the ball against Chicago righty Chris Flexen.
