usatoday
San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered a highlight-reel defensive play in Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, ensuring that Michael King's no-hit bid remained intact for at least one more batter.
Through the first four innings, King had been flawless, retiring all 12 Brewers he faced without allowing a hit or a walk. The possibility of a perfect game began to loom large over the contest. That possibility was tested when Jackson Chourio drove an 82 mph sweeper toward right field. Tatis, showcasing his elite speed and instincts, raced in from the outfield and made a sliding, acrobatic catch to secure the out and keep the no-hitter alive.
King's perfection was finally broken up in the following inning, but he maintained a 2-1 advantage at that point. His performance mirrored his previous postseason outing in Game 1 of the wild-card series, where he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs before finishing with seven shutout innings in a 3-0 Padres win.
Key Analysis
No-hitters in the MLB postseason are exceedingly rare, with only three ever recorded. The first was Don Larsen's perfect game for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. The second came 54 years later, when Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2010. The most recent occurred in 2022, when the Houston Astros combined for a no-hitter in Game 4 of the World Series. King's near-historic run adds to the lore of postseason pitching brilliance, while Tatis's defensive gem underscores the importance of every play in October baseball.
Originally reported by usatoday.