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Tatis Jr. records fifth three-hit game

Top Padres prospect hammers ninth homer, scores four runs
Fernando Tatis Jr. is batting .333 with 14 extra-base hits and 25 runs scored in 21 games in May. (Tammy Tucker/MiLB.com)
May 22, 2018

Entering Tuesday in a 1-for-13 funk, Fernando Tatis Jr. wasted no time snapping out of it.The top Padres prospect recorded his fifth three-hit game of the season, driving in one run and tying his career high with four runs scored, but it wasn't enough as Double-A San Antonio dropped a 9-6 decision

Entering Tuesday in a 1-for-13 funk, Fernando Tatis Jr. wasted no time snapping out of it.
The top Padres prospect recorded his fifth three-hit game of the season, driving in one run and tying his career high with four runs scored, but it wasn't enough as Double-A San Antonio dropped a 9-6 decision to Tulsa at Nelson Wolff Stadium.

"I'm just approaching things better now," Tatis told MiLB.com last week. "For me, when I get to a new level and start learning and learning, I can take the plate and feel like I'm getting better each time up there.
"I've just got to lay off the bad breaking balls and low fastball and keep trying to get better every day. At this point, I'm not trying to think too much. All I want to worry about is getting to the big leagues as soon as I can."
After getting hit by a pitch and coming home on Ty France's eighth long ball of the year in the first inning, Tatis hammered a solo shot to left-center on a 1-0 offering from Dodgers No. 4 prospectMitchell White in the second.
MLB.com's No. 7 overall prospect led off the fifth with a hard liner to left off a fastball down the middle from southpaw Chad Girodo for a base hit. After a 32-minute rain delay, Tatis got the seventh started with a double down the left field line on a 2-2 pitch left over the plate by righty Nolan Long (1-0).
Gameday box score
Needing a triple for the cycle, Tatis gave the first pitch he saw from right-hander Dylan Baker in the eighth a ride the other way to the warning track in right for a loud out.
The 19-year-old raised his average 11 points to .251, matching the highest it's been all season. He also tied his career high for runs, set last Sept. 2, leads the Texas League with 41 runs scored and ranks third with 22 extra-base hits, including nine homers, in 45 games. 

"Last month, I was just trying to do way too much at the plate," he said. "Everything was getting into my head, like, 'I've got to do this and I've got to do that.' I talked to my coaches and I realized that anytime I do good in baseball, it's when I just let it go. I just need to let things happen, and it's only a matter of time until things get better."
With Tulsa trailing, 6-4, in the eighth, Dodgers No. 20 prospect Errol Robinson and Zach Reks helped power a late comeback as Robinson hit a pair of solo homers and doubled, while Reks went 4-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and a career-high four RBIs.

Rob Terranova is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobTnova24.