PHILADELPHIA — Evan Gattis was out of the Braves lineup as planned Thursday, and Philadelphia must have been grateful.
The catcher had a career-high four hits including a home run in Wednesday’s 1-0 Braves win, his fifth homer in his past three games at Citizens Bank Park.
Gattis is the first visiting player to hit five homers in a three-game span in Philadelphia since the Reds’ Eric Davis did in in May 1987. Davis hit five in a three-day binge at old Veterans Stadium.
Gattis had a two-homer game against the Phillies’ Cole Hamels on Sept. 8, another two-homer game in Monday’s series opener, then provided all the offense with his homer in Wednesday’s pitchers duel between Julio Teheran and Phillies lefty Cliff Lee, who both threw complete games.
Citizens Bank Park has become Gattis’ favorite place to hit. He has five homers and a .958 slugging percentage in 24 at-bats at the ballpark (he has eight homers and a solid .466 slugging percentage in 174 at-bats at Turner Field).
The second-year major leaguer has hit .319 against Philadelphia and has more than twice as many homers (seven) in 12 games against the Phillies than his next-highest total against any other team (three apiece vs. the Nationals, Mets and Marlins).
Gattis continued an April tear that’s seen him go 14-for-33 (.424) with two doubles, four homers and seven RBI in nine games during the month. In 30 April games over two seasons, Gattis has hit .303 (33-for-109) with eight doubles, 10 homers and 23 RBIs.
He was out of the lineup Thursday as usual in a day game after a night game, with veteran backup Gerald Laird getting the start. Most teams use that arrangement — playing their backup catcher in day games after night games — and the Braves are being particularly careful with Gattis, who had his second knee surgery in October.
