Meadows" 9th inning grand slam lifts Tigers over Padres 4-3

On Thursday night in San Diego, Parker Meadows delivered a dramatic grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning, propelling the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. This pivotal moment came off a 100.7 mph fastball from Padres closer Robert Suarez, marking it as one of the fastest pitches a Tigers player has homered against since 2008. Meadows expressed his excitement, noting he was unsure if the ball would clear the fence but was thrilled when it did. The game started with the Padres taking an early lead, thanks to Jurickson Profar's solo home run in the first inning and Xander Bogaerts' two-run shot in the second, putting them ahead 3-0. Tigers starter Casey Mize struggled, allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings, which put the Tigers in a challenging position as they sought to rally back. Despite the early deficit, the Tigers showed resilience, with reliever Ricky Vanasco earning his first win of the season after a scoreless eighth inning. The Tigers' manager, A.J., praised the team's fighting spirit and their ability to string together good at-bats, emphasizing that they were never out of the game. The loss halted the Padres' three-game winning streak, keeping them three games ahead of Arizona in the NL wild card race. Meadows highlighted the importance of the victory, stating it provided momentum for the team moving forward and reinforcing their determination to compete in upcoming series.