Tatis hits 1st HR since PED suspension, gives Padres lead

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PHOENIX (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first home run since returning from an 80-game drug suspension, driving a fastball into the left-center stands to give the San Diego Padres a 1-0 lead against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

It was Tatis’ first homer since 2021. The 24-year-old missed all of last season, first because of a broken left wrist. When he was about to return, he was hit with his 80-game suspension for a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Clostebol.

Tatis was hitless in his first seven at-bats in his return before a line drive single on Friday night. He followed that on Saturday by driving an 0-2 fastball into the stands, just out of the reach of a leaping Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Tatis led the National League with 42 homers in 2021.

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