Sep 9, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) comes in from the outfield during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
San Diego, California -For eight and a half innings, Petco Park saw Fernando Tatis Jr. once again turn the outfield into his personal stage. The superstar right fielder stole a two-run homer from Tyler Stephenson in the fourth inning with a perfectly timed leap that had the crowd roaring. But baseball can be cruel, and by the ninth, Stephenson got his revenge.
With two outs in the ninth, the Reds catcher drove a Robert Suarez fastball into the left-field corner warehouse balcony for a two-run homer that broke a 2-2 tie and gave Cincinnati a 4-2 victory over San Diego on Tuesday night. It was a gut-punch finish for the Padres, who now sit two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West but remain firmly in the Wild Card picture.
The night began with the Reds jumping ahead quickly against Michael King, who gave up solo homers to Sal Stewart and Will Benson in the first two innings. But just as they did Monday, the Padres clawed back. Jackson Merrill lined an RBI triple to right in the fifth, then Jake Cronenworth lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game at two apiece.
From there, the game tilted into a tense duel. Merrill again showed why he’s becoming one of the most reliable young bats in the lineup. Cronenworth’s steady presence kept the Padres in it. And Tatis, in front of another packed Petco crowd, put together one of the defensive plays of the year — his fourth home run robbery since July 8, and maybe his best yet.
Suarez, who has been one of baseball’s most dependable closers, was finally tagged, and it stung. But one swing doesn’t erase the bigger picture. San Diego’s bullpen has carried them through September, their lineup continues to find clutch hits, and their defense — highlighted by Tatis’s glove — gives them a chance every night.
The Reds are playing for their playoff lives and had the last word this time. For the Padres, it’s another reminder of how thin the margin is in a pennant race. Even in defeat, though, Petco saw another flash of Tatis’s brilliance, another example of Merrill’s poise, and another hard-fought battle that felt like October baseball.
The Padres get another crack at the Reds today, with a chance to reset and keep pressure on Los Angeles. Losses like this sting, but they also underline just how meaningful every inning is down the stretch.
