Fernando Tatis Jr., bullpen lead Padres past Rangers

Fernando Tatis Jr. reached base four times and knocked in the go-ahead run Sunday night as the San Diego Padres captured the rubber game of their weekend series with the visiting Texas Rangers, 4-1.

Six San Diego pitchers combined to give up six hits, with Kyle Hart (3-2) getting the win. Hart relieved opener David Morgan in the second inning and retired all 11 men he faced, striking out two in his first MLB outing since May 28. Robert Suarez worked the ninth for his 25th save to tie Houston's Josh Hader for the MLB lead.

Jack Leiter (4-6) absorbed the loss after being charged with two runs on five hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings, whiffing five. Leiter struggled with his command all night, needing 85 pitches to record his 11 outs.

Tatis greeted reliever Jacob Latz by rifling a double inside the third-base line in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring Trenton Brooks for a 2-1 lead. Martin Maldonado was also called safe at the plate as he tried to score from first but replay reversed Jim Wolf's safe call, denying Tatis a second RBI.

Maldonado made it 3-1 in the sixth when he pulled a two-out RBI single between third baseman Josh Smith and shortstop Corey Seager, scoring Xander Bogaerts. Maldonado upped his average to .183 with a pair of singles.

Jake Cronenworth capped the scoring in the seventh by singling up the middle with two outs, the ball eluding diving second baseman Marcus Semien, to score pinch-runner Bryce Johnson.

Texas initiated scoring two batters into the game as Smith led off with a single and raced home on Seager's double to right. The Rangers loaded the bases with two outs but Jonah Heim was robbed of a two-run single as Cronenworth dove to his right to make the catch.

The Padres equalized in their half of the third when Luis Arraez stroked a two-out RBI single to center, scoring Tatis. It was Arraez's eighth hit of the series.

--Field Level Media