Padres clinch postseason spot as rookie Salas delivers against Dodgers
Ethan Salas broke up Tyler Glasnow’s no-hitter, scored the go-ahead run and drove in another as San Diego secured a third straight postseason berth.
The San Diego Padres clinched a postseason spot on Thursday with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, aided by a decisive performance from rookie catcher Ethan Salas.
Salas broke up Tyler Glasnow’s no-hitter with one out in the sixth inning, scored the go-ahead run and hit an RBI single in the seventh. The victory secured the Padres’ third consecutive postseason berth, according to Fox Sports.
Called up on 2 September, the 20-year-old had started the season at Double-A before moving to Triple-A in late July. On his call-up, he became the youngest player to catch in a Major League Baseball game since Ivan Rodriguez debuted in 1991, Fox Sports reported.
Salas went hitless in his first 14 at-bats, but had since produced a .381/.409/.762 slash line over nine games. His recent contributions included a two-home-run game on 16 September and a walk-off win on 19 September.
The Padres had been 48-48 at the All-Star break, with Fox Sports describing their offence then as the league’s worst. Salas’s role in Thursday’s clincher adds a young contributor to a team that has since secured its place in the postseason.
