Atlanta Braves pinch hitter Evan Gattis (24) celebrates after putting his team ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a two-run home run in the eighth inning of a baseball game on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Atlanta. Atlanta won 3-1.ATLANTA – The Braves already knew rookie Evan Gattis is an impressive power hitter. He’s also proving a quick learner.
Gattis took advantage of some last-second tips from teammate Justin Upton before hitting a go-ahead, two-run homer off Kenley Jansen in the eighth inning, and the Atlanta Braves rallied to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 on Saturday night.
Andrelton Simmons followed Gattis with another homer off Jansen after each listened to quick reminders from Upton on the right-hander’s signature cutters.
“I remembered (Upton) said something about (Jansen) in the advance meeting, so I wanted to go to him to see what I could get,” Gattis said. “Whatever I could get in an at-bat like that was going to help.”
Gattis said Upton’s advice was to avoid cutters that appeared to be bound for the middle of the plate, because they would break off the plate. Gattis said Upton’s instruction was to wait on a pitch “starting at you, or it looks like it’s starting at you. That’s going to be the one that you want.”