SAN DIEGO — Travis d’Arnaud had two homers and four RBIs, Chris Sale threw five solid innings for his 13th major league victory and the Atlanta Braves defeated the San Diego Padres 6-3 on Sunday in the final game before the All-Star break.
“He had a great day,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of d’Arnaud, who also had his third stolen base in his 12-year major league career.
Of Sale, Snitker added: “When I talk to him, he was good at just getting the five, which I think worked out pretty well. I’m really happy we hung in there and got him the win.”
Atlanta has won six of its last nine games, winning two of three against San Diego, which ended the first half with six losses in its last seven games.
“We faced some pretty good pitching,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said of the Braves. “That’s a good opportunity for us, and I thought our at-bats were good again.”
The Braves closed the first half with a 53-42 deficit to move into second place in the NL East, nine games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
“We’ve done a good job of getting through this thing and staying relevant. I like where we’re at right now,” Snitker said. “Under the circumstances, we’ve done a really good job of weathering the adversity and hanging in there. … I still think our best baseball is yet to come.”
The Padres finished the first half 50-49 and tied for second place in the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both teams trail the Dodgers by seven games.
Sale (13-3), an All-Star, allowed one run and four hits. He has won five of his last six starts.
“We had a great series this weekend. Hopefully we can come back after the break and take a couple days off to regenerate,” Sale said. “I noticed their (Padres) approach. They didn’t wait for anything. It looked like they were very aggressive early in the count.”
San Diego starter Randy Vásquez (2-5) lasted five innings, giving up two runs and four hits.
“I thought (Vásquez) was good overall,” Shildt said. “Just couldn’t get to d’Arnaud with a curveball.”
D’Arnaud’s three-run homer in the sixth inning off San Diego reliever Stephen Kolek gave Atlanta a 5-1 lead. His solo homer in the eighth inning off San Diego reliever Jeremiah Estrada was hit from nearly the same spot in center field to give the Braves a 6-3 lead.
“I knew I hit them,” d’Arnaud said of his homers, which measured 445 and 431 feet. “I could see the ball very well.”
Pinch-hitter Luis Campusano hit a two-run homer to opposite field off Braves reliever AJ Minter in the seventh. Trailing 5-3 in the inning with two outs, the Padres stranded two runners when Manny Machado retired against reliever Joe Jimenez.
Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 22nd save.
The Padres took a brief 1-0 lead in the first inning after Xander Bogaerts drove in Donovan Solano from third base. Two batters later, with runners on second and third and two outs, Braves third baseman Austin Riley likely saved two runs with a diving, hissing grounder into the gap to throw out Ha-Seong Kim and end the inning.
“I think that saved the game,” Sale said. “It should have been 3-0 straight away and that changes the whole landscape of the game, that’s for sure… That was big.”
Braves: RHP Ian Anderson (Tommy John surgery) made his fifth rehab start on July 12, throwing 60 pitches in 4-1/3 innings against High-A Rome. Anderson is scheduled to return from surgery in April 2023.
Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove (right elbow inflammation) is scheduled to make his first bullpen appearance on July 17. He was placed on the 60-day IL in early June.
Atlanta hosts St. Louis on Friday. The Padres open the second half with an interleague series in Cleveland.
