Don Orsillo's incredible Fernando Tatis Jr. robbery call reopened old Red Sox wounds

Fernando Tatis Jr. robbed Francisco Lindor of a grand slam on Aug. 18. Don Orsillo robbed Boston fans of whatever peace they had left. It’s a fair statement. The second-inning play at Citi Field was ridiculous even by Tatis’ standards. Lindor drove a bases-loaded pitch toward the right-field seats, and for a moment, it looked as if the Mets were about to flip the game. Tatis tracked it, reached over the fence to bring it back.

The cold stare afterwards really made it stick as the Padres’ dugout erupted. Tatis held the moment just long enough to make everyone wait for the reveal, then showed the ball like a magician who had the room. Jared Carrabis described the robbery better than any walk-off homer run celebration he had seen all year. That’s pretty accurate. It was a hostile takeover on the road. And Orsillo supplied the soundtrack.

Don Orsillo’s Padres call reminded Red Sox fans what they lost

His call began like a standard deep fly ball and quickly dissolved into joyous disbelief. That’s what makes Orsillo one of the best in the business. He doesn’t smother a moment beneath a rehearsed catchphrase. He meets it where it is.

Boston heard that call and collectively reached for the aspirin. Orsillo spent 15 seasons as the television voice of the Red Sox, from 2001 through 2015. He called baseball during two championship runs, built a beloved partnership with Jerry Remy and became part of the rhythm of summer in New England. Then NESN pushed him out after the 2015 season in a decision that has aged about as gracefully as warm chowder.

San Diego has done nothing but simply benefit from it. Orsillo and Mark Grant have become inseparable from Padres baseball because they understand the assignment: explain the game, love the game and never drain the fun out of it.

Tatis gave them plenty to love Tuesday. He opened the game with a 452-foot leadoff homer, erased four potential Mets runs with his glove and added a two-run homer in the fifth. Two homers, one stolen grand slam and a 5-2 Padres victory. Calling that a great game almost feels insulting. Tatis hijacked and then bulldozed New York in one night.

A superstar took over a game, and the best voice in baseball made sure the moment sounded as spectacular as it looked.

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