D-backs sink Braves on Goldy’s walk-off homer

PHOENIX — Paul Goldschmidt delivered a walk-off homer to lead off the bottom of the ninth, lifting the D-backs to a 9-8 win over the Braves in the opener of a four-game series on Monday night at Chase Field.

“I think the tendency in a tied game or extra innings is try to hit home runs, and we’ve played some extra-inning games and that just has not worked out for me,” Goldschmidt said. “I was fortunate to get a pitch up and get it out of there.”

Welington Castillo hit a three-run double to put Arizona ahead, 8-7, in the seventh, but Freddie Freeman’s second homer of the night tied it at 8-8 in the ninth. It didn’t stay tied for long, however, as Goldschmidt’s fourth career walk-off blast ended it, a deep homer to left off Braves reliever John Gant (1-3).

“When he came up, I said to the coaches, ‘You know what, our first baseman’s up now. Let’s see us do the same thing.’ And I think the lengths of those balls were a long way, both of them,” D-backs manager Chip Hale said of the ninth-inning homers by Freeman and Goldschmidt.

Jean Segura went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, Michael Bourn also collected three hits and Yasmany Tomas hit a two-run homer as the D-backs overcame a five-run deficit to win for just the fourth time in 11 games.

The Braves built an early 5-0 lead, as Freeman hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Adonis Garcia hit a two-run blast in the second. Nick Markakis added to the offense with three hits to back starter Mike Foltynewicz, who allowed four runs on nine hits over six innings, issuing no walks and striking out seven.

“We had the lead and then we obviously gave up some runs, but to come back and just lose it again was just gut-wrenching,” Freeman said.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDFreeman’s launching pad: After missing Sunday’s game while nursing a sore left middle finger, Freeman drilled his first-inning home run on the first pitch he saw. Garcia’s two-run shot gave the Braves a 5-0 …

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