They say miracles only happen in sports, and this saying couldn't be even more true after the Atlanta Braves beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-2, thanks to the miraculous performances of catcher Travis d'Arnaud and first baseman Matt Olson. Both players entered the history books on Wednesday after hitting back-to-back homers twice in a single game. Per Sportradar, the Houston Astros' Mauricio Dubon and Jose Altuve last achieved this feat in 2023 in their 13-6 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Travis d'Arnaud on his miraculous performance
“I couldn't believe it,” d'Arnaud said, as expected after a tremendous showing. “I still can't believe it.” Perhaps jokingly, he added, “I was hoping maybe three times, but I'll take two.” Both Olson and d'Arnaud scored their massive homers off two consecutive pitches from the Brewers' Freddy Peralta in the fourth inning. Both homers also tied the game, capping off the Braves' effort to climb out of an early 0-2 hole.
Later, deep in the eighth inning, both Olson and d'Arnaud stepped up to the plate and sent home a couple more dingers to seal the victory for the Braves and clinch the series against the Brewers. Both Braves hit their homers this time against Nick Mears. Coming in first was Olson, who smashed a 416-foot drive to center field. Following him was d'Arnaud, who hit a 412-foot homer to left-center.
According to Sportradar, since moving to Atlanta in 1966, the Braves had seen this feat only twice before in franchise history. The first pair to have done it was Fred McGriff and David Justice, who hit their homers against the San Francisco Giants in 1993. Five years later, Javy Lopez and Andruw Jones did it against the Montreal Expos.
Besides d'Arnaud, this accomplishment could have signaled Matt Olson's breakthrough from a slump that has lasted all season long. In July, Olson was only a 14 for 90 (.156) at bat before bringing home his two homers on Wednesday. This struggle also came after a terrific 2023 season, where Olson led the MLB in homers and placed 4th in voting for the National League Most Valuable Player award.
What's next for the Braves
The Braves are now looking ahead to their series opener against the Miami Marlins on Thursday. They are currently second place in the National League East with a record of 58-49, next only to the Philadelphia Phillies, who hold a record of 65-43.
Meanwhile, the Brewers are off on Thursday before their three-game series opener against the Washington Nationals on Friday. They lead the National League Central with a record of 61-47. In second place are the St. Louis Cardinals, with a record of 56-52.
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