The Braves returned to Truist Park on Monday to begin a seven-game homestand against the Giants and Dodgers. The first game sure felt like a postseason-caliber contest, with the Braves edging the Giants 2-1 on infielder Orlando Arcia’s walk-off single.
Here are five takeaways from Monday:
1. Arcia, tasked with replacing the injured Ozzie Albies, has already stepped up. Monday was another nod to the Braves’ confidence in the veteran. The ninth inning began with Matt Olson drawing a four-pitch walk off Camilo Doval. Phil Gosselin replaced Olson as the runner.
An out later, Marcell Ozuna laced a single to left field. Adam Duvall struck out, giving the Giants hope of forcing extra innings. But Arcia then smacked an 86-mph slider into left field, scoring Gosselin from second to end the game.
“Any time I’m in one of those situations, I just try to relax as much as possible,” Arcia said through team interpreter Franco Garcia. As for what was going through Arcia’s mind during his hit: “If you can look back on the video, you’ll notice I’m the first one sending Goose all the way home.”
The 27-year-old has a hit in four of five games since he assumed a larger responsibility in Albies’ absence. He’s produced two homers, a double and five RBIs over those 20 at-bats.
2. Two veteran Braves relievers worked through trouble to position the Braves for a walk-off. First was Will Smith, who entered in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and none out after Max Fried ran out of gas to end his otherwise impressive outing.
Smith coaxed a shallow pop-up (115 feet) from Tommy La Stella that resulted in an out thanks to left fielder Adam Duvall, who sprinted to make an excellent catch. The Braves’ outfield defense shined again Monday, with Duvall showing his range on a couple nice plays.
Five pitches later, Austin Slater’s single to center field knotted the game at one. But Smith struck out Wilmer Flores and escaped the inning when Mike Yastrzemski grounded out. Olson made a great play fielding the ball along the foul line beyond first base, falling over as he flipped to Smith for the third out.
“That was great by both of those guys,” manager Brian Snitker said. “By Will to beat a fast runner over there, too.”
Kenley Jansen took over in the ninth. Joc Pederson, in his return to Atlanta, pinch hit with one out and just missed a go-ahead homer at the right-field foul pole. He instead settled for an opposite-field single. Luis Gonzalez followed with another hit, giving the Giants runners at second and third.
Jansen struck out Thairo Estrada and Brandon Crawford with his ensuing nine pitches. It was a masterful escape by the veteran All-Star.
3. Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud homered off Giants starter Logan Webb in the second frame. It was his fourth homer in five games and sixth homer in June. He has 15 RBIs in 10 games this month.
“What he means to this club is huge,” Snitker said.
D’Arnaud’s 10 home runs are tied with Salvador Perez (Kansas City) for the second-highest total among major-league catchers behind the Cubs’ Willson Contreras (12). His 32 RBIs are tied with Perez for most at the position.
4. The Braves’ offense was mostly quieted by Webb, so it needed a sterling showing from its own ace. Fried delivered, notching seven scoreless innings before he was charged a run in the eighth. He allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked two.
“We knew going in, you see this pitching matchup, and it was as billed,” Snitker said. “Both of those guys were throwing up zeros. Both went deep into the game. It was a really well-pitched game by both sides.”
Fried has logged at least 5 ⅔ frames in 13 of his 14 starts this season (he went 5 ⅓ innings in the other). He’s covered at least six innings in 11 of his last 12 outings. His 87 ⅔ innings is the fourth-highest total in MLB behind Sandy Alcantara (99 ⅓), Aaron Nola (89 ⅔) and Miles Mikolas (88 ⅔).
Fried is assembling a strong case for his first All-Star nod. The All-Star game will be played at Dodger Stadium, which would make the occasion all-the-more special for the Santa Monica, Calif., native.
“Yes, definitely (he deserves to be an All-Star),” d’Arnaud said. “What he’s done this year is incredible. I hope he makes the All-Star team. He deserves it. He’s been our ace to start the year.”
5. Monday marked the Braves’ 16th win in 18 games, yet it was their first victory against a team above .500 over that span. They’ll have further opportunities to defeat some of the National League’s better teams: The Braves play their next 10 games against winning clubs (Giants, Dodgers, Phillies). They have 26 games remaining until the All-Star break; 16 will come against teams with winning records.
Stat to know
5 (Arcia has five career walk-off RBIs, including two this season.)
Quotable
“That was cool to see. He definitely deserved it for all the big moments he stepped up in for us. He just changed this whole clubhouse environment, and now it’s even rolling from the environment he built for us last year. Before he got here, it was more quiet and reserved. He got everybody to open up, joke around. It was cool to see the fans appreciate him today.” – d’Arnaud on Truist Park applauding Pederson, who tipped his helmet before his at-bat
Attendance
The Braves hosted 40,589 fans Monday, their 16th sellout this season.
Up next
The Braves will start Spencer Strider (3-2, 2.45), one of the top rookie pitchers this season, Tuesday as their series against the Giants continues. Anthony DeSclafani (0-1, 6.08) will return from an ankle injury and start for the Giants.
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