Tommy La Stella has made his major-league case with his bat. He did so with his glove Tuesday night in his Turner Field debut.
The second baseman made three fine fielding efforts, while going 2-for-4 at the plate, in the Braves’ 7-5 loss to the Mariners.
“He really made a couple nice plays on balls to his left,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said following the game. “That’s his strength. He made a couple balls that were difficult look pretty easy.”
La Stella snagged groundballs by Kyle Seager and Dustin Ackley in the fifth inning. He dove to stop another Ackley grounder in the ninth inning. He was at it again in the first inning of Wednesday’s game against the Mariners. La Stella dove in shallow outfield to throw out Robinson Cano.
It was a rough start defensively for La Stella after being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett last Wednesday. He had a costly ninth-inning error in a loss to the Red Sox May 29 and was replaced defensively in each of the following three-game series with the Marlins. He put those issues to rest Tuesday.
“It’s always easier going to the glove side, for everyone,” La Stella said before Wednesday’s game. “I feel fine going to the right but for every infielder it’s easier going to that glove side when your momentum is going toward the bag. It is nice to make the plays and help the pitchers out a little bit.”
La Stella entered Wednesday’s game hitting .421 (8-for-19) while starting all six games.
