The narratives coming into the Braves' game at Arizona Thursday were pretty simple: Coming off a tough three-game sweep at home by the Red Sox, with Atlanta blowing a six-run lead in the series finale, how would the young Braves respond?
And could the Diamondbacks, who had spent much of the season in first place before losing eight of their last 12 games, find their winning ways again?
The two teams needed 10 innings to provide the answer. Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson scored on a wild pitch by D-backs' reliever Yoshihisa Hirano in the 10th inning to give the Braves a 7-6 victory.
In a battle of two possible playoff opponents, the "Baby Braves" relied on their elder teammates for support. Catcher Kurt Suzuki, who at age 34 is quietly having another solid season at the plate, hit a two-run shot in the fourth off Zack Greinke. Fellow 34-year-old Nick Markakis had four hits and two RBIs.
The Braves held a 6-4 lead into the bottom of ninth, but the Dbacks rallied for two runs, the tying run coming on a homer by Paul Goldschmidt.
The Braves' (77-63) win gives them a 3 1/2-game lead over idle Philadelphia in the NL East, and erases the bad taste left over from the Boston series as they opened a four-game series in Phoenix.
The Diamondbacks (75-65) fall 2 1/2 games behind the Rockies in the NL West.
Studs of the night
Francisco Lindor led off the game with a home run, hit another in the third and finished with four hits and four RBIs in Cleveland's 9-4 win over the Blue Jays.
David Bote doubled in the winning run for the Cubs in the 10th inning in a 6-4 victory on the road against the Nationals.
Dud of the night
Blue Jays righthander Sam Gaviglio gave up five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Indians.
Highlight
Francisco Mejía, considered the top catching prospect in baseball, hit his first two MLB home runs Thursday and drove in four runs to key San Diego's 6-4 victory over the Reds. The Padres, who acquired Mejía from the Indians in July for All-Star lefty Brad Hand and rookie righthander Adam Cimber, recalled him from Triple-A Tuesday.
Francisco Mejia showing off that sweet swing for his first HR in The Show. pic.twitter.com/rf1bot2pDh
— MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2018
What's next?
Dodgers (76-64) at Rockies (77-62) 8:40 p.m. ET — First place in the NL West is at stake here as these two clubs open a weekend series. The Rockies, who have won five straight, will go with Jon Gray (11-7, 4.70 ERA), who got roughed up by the Dodgers (four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings) on Aug. 10 at Coors Field. The Dodgers will counter with hard-luck Clayton Kershaw (6-5, 2.40 ERA), who has given up more than two earned runs only once in his last 15 starts.