HOUSTON — Fernando Tatís Jr. hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning and accounted for all of San Diego’s runs as the Padres beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Sunday, avoiding a series sweep.
Tatís jumped on the first pitch from Tayler Scott (1-2) and sent it 427 feet to straightaway center to put the Padres ahead in the seventh.
He also had two other key moments earlier. Tatís scored from second on a Mauricio Dubón error in the first inning. He led off the third with a triple and later scored on an RBI single by Gavin Sheets.
The Astros tied the game with two runs in the fifth. Dubón delivered an RBI single and Yordan Alvarez followed with a sacrifice fly to even the score.
Luis Arraez was removed from the game after a first-inning collision with Dubón on a play at first base. Arraez’s face appeared to collide with Dubón’s arm or elbow, and he lay motionless in foul territory next to first base for several minutes.
After both teams’ trainers tended to him, Arraez was placed on a backboard and carted off the field to be taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Dylan Cease allowed two runs on six hits and struck out six across five innings for San Diego. Alek Jacob (1-0) worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win, and Robert Suarez closed out the ninth for his second save.
Framber Valdez started for Houston and gave up two runs on seven hits in six innings.
Key moment
With two outs and the tying run on second in the eighth, Jason Adam struck out Victor Caratini to end the inning.
Key stat
The Padres have scored 20 runs in the seventh inning this season, the most they have scored in any inning.
Up next
Houston RHP Hunter Brown (2-1, 1.50 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series against the Blue Jays on Monday night. San Diego RHP Randy Vásquez (1-1, 1.74) starts Monday in the opener of a three-game series in Detroit.
