ATLANTA (AP) — Travis d’Arnaud hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves kept up their postseason push with a 2-1 win over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. Reynaldo López came off the injured list to throw six strong innings for the Braves, who moved one game ahead of the New York Mets and a half-game in front of Arizona for the final two wild-card spots in the National League. The Mets lost 6-0 at Milwaukee and the Diamondbacks were hosting San Diego.
D'Arnaud ended it with one swing in the ninth, launching a 2-0 pitch from Sam Long (3-3) over the center-field wall for his 15th homer this season. Raisel Iglesias (6-2) earned the win. López pitched for the first time since Sept.
10, when he lasted only one inning at Washington before coming out with shoulder discomfort. An MRI showed no structural damage, but the Braves placed him on the 15-day disabled list in the heat of playoff race to make sure things didn't get worse. López looked as good as ever in his return, allowing only two singles while striking out nine.
After fanning Adam Frazier with the last of his 73 pitches, he pounded his glove in satisfaction walking off the mound, having lowered his ERA in a dazzling season to an even 2.00. Kansas City went ahead in the third after starting the frame with its only two hits off Lopez — back-to-back singles by Freddy Fermin and Garrett Hampson.
Fermin came home from third when Dairon Blanco hit into a double play. The .
