ATLANTA (AP) — Orlando Arcia could sense a big moment coming. All he had to do was look at the support he was getting from the Braves’ dugout to know he was about to deliver a walkoff hit.
“I took those first two fastballs for balls,” he said. “Honestly all I was trying to do was put the ball in play. Everybody in the dugout was giving me encouragement. I saw (Marcell) Ozuna at first base doing the same thing. All the other guys were rallying around me.”
Arcia drove in pinch-runner Phil Gosselin from second base with a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.
Camilo Doval began the ninth by walking Matt Olson on four pitches, the first free pass issued by the Giants in the game. After Gosselin replaced Olson, Doval retired Travis d’Arnaud on a popup before Ozuna singled to left. Doval (2-3) struck out Adam Duvall before Arcia drove the ball to left field.
It was Arcia’s fifth career walkoff RBI and his second this season. He hit a two-run homer against Boston on May 11.
“He has won a few games for us,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “Just his at-bats are always under control. That was a big one tonight.”
In the top of the ninth, Braves closer Kenley Jansen (4-0) gave up a one-out single to pinch-hitter Joc Pederson, who advanced to third on Luis González’s single. González took second on the throw to third, but Jansen stranded both runners with strikeouts of Thairo Estrada and pinch-hitter Brandon Crawford.
The defending World Series champion Braves moved 10 games over .500 for the second time this season. They have won two straight and 16 of 18 to stay in second place in the NL East, 5½ games behind the New York Mets.
San Francisco, at 37-29 and in third place in the NL…
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