San Diego Padres set MLB record with grand slam in fourth consecutive game
The San Diego Padres have completed a grand slam of grand slams.
Eric Hosmer's home run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday against the Texas Rangers marked the Padres' fourth consecutive game with a grand slam – breaking the major league record they shared with the 1895 Cleveland Spiders and three other teams.
Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. started the streak with his controversial blast off a 3-0 pitch in a blowout win against the Rangers on Monday. He was followed by outfielder Wil Myers on Tuesday and third baseman Manny Machado on Wednesday, setting the stage for Hosmer's heroics.
“I don’t know what to say," Padres manager Jayce Tingler said of his team. "They’re creating opportunities, they’re getting pressure in the zone, guys are getting out of the zone and we load them up and they’ve been ready to hit.”
Hosmer's grand slam turned a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 lead. Though Texas forced extra innings, the Padres won 8-7 in 10 innings on Jake Cronenworth's single and a fielding error to complete the four-game, home-and-home sweep of the Rangers.
The walk-off victory was the Padres' second straight, as Machado's grand slam lifted them to victory Wednesday night.
"We were kind of talking about it before the game, just how amazing three was in three games," Hosmer said of the Padres' grand slam streak.
"The situation came up and it’s not really something I was thinking about during the game, but as soon as I got back to the dugout I was thinking about it. Even sweeter is we came away with the win.”
Contributing: Associated Press