The Braves are going for their first series win in Arizona since 2012. Touki Toussaint faces Robbie Ray in Sunday’s finale.
Here’s what to know entering the game:
1. The Diamondbacks were already bit by Dansby Swanson and Ender Inciarte on Saturday, and Toussaint could complete the trifecta. Arizona took him with their first-round pick in the 2014 draft. They traded him a year later to dump Bronson Arroyo’s dead money.
Oops: Toussaint’s rocketed up the Braves system and made his major-league debut Aug. 18. His first road start is against the organization that sent him away.
Toussaint’s early sample size has been impressive. He’s struck out 10 and allowed four runs through 10-2/3 innings. Toussaint hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs across his past 15 appearances, dating back to June 4 with Double-A Mississippi.
2. Ronald Acuna collected another two hits, plus a pair of intentional walks Saturday. He was the first Braves player in the last 110 seasons to collect two intentional walks before his 21st birthday.
He’s hitting .328 with a .411 on-base percentage since moving to lead-off after the All-Star break. Safe to say that move has not only paid off, but could have significant influence on two season awards – Acuna for rookie of the year and Brian Snitker for manager of the year – not to mention the pennant race.
3. The Braves are trying to improve on their National League-best 41-30 road mark. Their win Saturday clinched their first winning road campaign since going 46-35 in 2012. They’ve also gone 6-6 in NL West cities after posting a collective 174-230 mark from 2013-17.
After Sunday, the Braves have nine road games left: Three each in San Francisco, New York and Philadelphia to end the season.
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