The Texas Rangers didn’t just face the Atlanta Braves on Friday night; they faced off against Travis d’Arnaud.
d’Arnaud wreaked havoc on the Rangers with an extraordinary performance, blasting three home runs and driving in six RBIs in his first three at-bats, leading the Braves to an 8-3 triumph at Truist Park. The Texas pitchers found themselves at a loss against the 35-year-old catcher, who, entering Friday’s game with no home runs and four RBIs, seemed an unlikely powerhouse from the No. 8 spot in the lineup.
However, d’Arnaud quickly transformed into a formidable force at the plate, resembling a modern-day Babe Ruth. With the score knotted at 1-1, d’Arnaud broke the tie with a solo homer off Rangers starter Andrew Heaney in the bottom of the second inning. He followed it up in the bottom of the fifth with another solo blast against Heaney, further solidifying his dominance.
Although Heaney exited the game after the fifth inning, d’Arnaud’s onslaught continued. In the bottom of the sixth, he crushed a grand slam, effectively sealing Atlanta’s victory.
In the bottom of the eighth, d’Arnaud had a chance to etch his name in the record books as the first MLB catcher to hit four homers in a single game. However, he was retired on a groundout, narrowly missing the historic feat.
Nevertheless, d’Arnaud’s performance was nothing short of legendary. He joined an exclusive club of catchers in MLB history to achieve at least three home runs and six RBIs in a game. Additionally, he became the oldest Braves player since Ruth in 1935 to accomplish such a remarkable feat, albeit for one unforgettable night.