With 1st 3-HR game, Tatis ties MLB HR lead

The Padres’ superstar shortstop authored the first three-homer game of his career — and he needed only four frames to do so, going deep in the first, second and fourth innings in an 11-5 drubbing of the D-backs at Petco Park.

Tatis came to the plate in the seventh and eighth innings with a chance to become the 19th player in MLB history — and the first Padre — to hit four home runs in a game. The 22-year-old singled and grounded out, settling instead for a thrilling 4-for-5 night and the title of youngest Padres player with a three-homer game.

The Padres notched their eighth straight victory, all of which have come since the ballpark opened to full capacity last week, on a five-homer night.

Tatis hit solo homers in each of the first two innings as part of back-to-back shots — his first-inning blast came after a Tommy Pham leadoff homer and his second-inning home run was followed by a Jake Cronenworth blast. In the fourth, he launched an opposite-field two-run shot, giving the Padres an 8-5 lead.

Pham and Tatis became the third pair of Padres teammates to open a game with consecutive home runs — and the first since Tatis did so alongside Franmil Reyes on July 29, 2019. The only other time the Padres did so, Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk opened a game with three straight home runs on April 13, 1987.

Tatis leads the National League with 25 home runs this season after entering the day tied with the Nationals’ Kyle Schwarber. He’s now tied for the MLB lead with the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

On Friday afternoon, Tatis acknowledged that he wouldn’t be taking part in next month’s Home Run Derby at Coors Field, citing the health of his balky left shoulder, which has flared up on him twice already this season. Still, Tatis seems like a lock for a spot in the All-Star Game, as he’s currently leading NL shortstops in voting.

“That’s going to be a dream come true, if we make it happen,” Tatis said.

He helped his cause again in a big way Friday night.