Tatis connects twice for HR lead, Padres top Rangers 14-4

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. homered twice, including a grand slam for his major league-leading 11th of the season, and the San Diego Padres routed the Texas Rangers 14-4 on Monday night to stop a five-game losing streak.

Tatis had a career-high seven RBIs, starting with a three-run shot for a 10-3 lead in the seventh inning on a 405-foot liner pulled into the San Diego bullpen in left-center field for his hardest hit of the season at 113 mph, according to Statcast.

The 21-year-old’s first career slam came on a 3-0 pitch from Juan Nicasio, an opposite-field shot to right in the eighth that smacked a fan cutout in the fourth row. Tatis passed Mike Trout, who started the night with 10 homers.

Zach Davies (3-2) allowed three runs with six strikeouts in five-plus innings in the first of two games in Texas before the teams go to California for a pair to take care of all four meetings in this pandemic-shortened season.

Jurickson Profar had a two-run double in a five-run second inning. Jake Cronenworth, Josh Naylor and Trent Grisham had the other RBI hits in the second against Jordan Lyles, a free-agent pickup who has an 8.35 ERA in four Texas starts.

Austin Hedges connected on his second homer, a solo shot in the fourth, as the Padres set their season high for runs.

Rougned Odor ended Davies’ shutout bid in the fourth with a two-run double, and Joey Gallo added an RBI double in the sixth.

Lyles (1-2) gave up seven hits and seven runs, six earned, in four innings.

TINGLER’S HOMECOMING

First-year San Diego manager Jayce Tingler capped 13 seasons in the Texas organization with a return to the big league staff when Chris Woodward was hired for the 2019 season.

“I can’t stand the guy,” Woodward said, smiling. “Heard bad things about him. He’s not my friend right now. I hope he goes 0-4 the next four games.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: LF/DH Tommy Pham could be out four to six weeks after surgery for a broken left hand. He left Sunday’s game at Arizona in the ninth inning. Pham was placed on the 10-day injured list along with C Francisco Mejia, who has been dealing with a bruised left thumb. The Padres recalled infielder Ty France and C Luis Torrens.

UP NEXT

LHP Mike Minor (0-3, 5.49 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rangers after being pulled from his most recent start following four scoreless innings, coming off issues with his velocity the outing before that. Minor will be working on six days’ rest and says he is confident he won’t have to come out of the game early again. San Diego hadn’t announced a starter.