Travis d’Arnaud Delivers Walk-Off Heroics for the Braves and López Dominates

Reynaldo López’s return was exactly the kind of boost the Braves needed in their critical playoff push. His first start since coming off the injured list was a gem, and Travis d’Arnaud blasts thrilling walk-off home run sealed the deal in a 2-1 win over the Royals at Truist Park on Saturday night.

As if that wasn’t enough to celebrate, things got even better for Atlanta when news came through that both the Mets and Diamondbacks were shut out in their respective games. The Braves suddenly found themselves a full game ahead of both in the tight National League Wild Card race.

Talk about timing! It’s a remarkable turnaround for a team that entered the week trailing both the Mets and D-backs by two games. The resiliency of this Atlanta squad is showing in a big way, and until Sunday they strung together five straight wins when it matters most.

López was electric in his six-inning return, giving up just two hits and one run while striking out nine batters, all via his slider. His command and velocity were back, topping out at 99 mph in the first inning. It was clear from the start that he was feeling great.

López’s effort was particularly impressive, as he hadn’t pitched in a while due to injury, but he gave the Braves everything they could have asked for and more. “For him to go six innings after missing that much time gives us a lot of confidence going forward,” d’Arnaud said, adding that López’s performance could be a huge asset if the Braves advance to the postseason.

Manager Brian Snitker and the Braves are keeping their options open after veteran Charlie Morton’s start in Sunday’s series finale. With putting Morton on the mound, the Braves are clearly going all-in to close out this season to head into the playoffs strong.

Meanwhile, Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach will be held back as potential starters for the makeup games against the Mets on Monday. However, if the Braves lock up their playoff position on Sunday, Snitker may opt to rest key arms and save them for the Wild Card Series, which begins Tuesday.

Austin Rickles Editor in Chief

Austin was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up a diehard Atlanta sports fan. He has been regularly going to Atlanta Braves games for over 30 years. From Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, to Turner Field, to Truist Park, he knows and remembers each one vividly.

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