ATLANTA – Braves rookie Christian Bethancourt never dreamed his first career home run and first game-ending homer would come on the same swing.
Bethancourt lined Vance Worley’s first pitch in the ninth inning over the right-field wall, lifting Atlanta to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.
Bethancourt had three hits, including the drive off Worley (2-4). The ball, curving toward the foul pole, cleared the wall beyond the reach of right fielder Gregory Polanco. Bethancourt was swarmed by teammates at home plate.
“That’s a moment I’ll never forget,” he said. “My first homer is a walk-off homer.”
Bethancourt said Braves coaches sent him to the plate with a scouting report on Worley that “the guy was going to go out and throw sliders and cutters away. I was looking for one of two pitches.”