ATLANTA — The Braves opened a nine-game homestand Friday by welcoming the defending-champion Rangers to Atlanta. What a show for the sellout crowd: The Braves mashed their way to an 8-3 win, their fifth straight.

Here are five observations:

— 1. Let April 19, 2024, at Truist Park be known as the “Travis d’Arnaud game.” The Braves’ catcher launched three home runs after entering the day with zero. After two long balls off Andrew Heaney, he saved his best for last: d’Arnaud blasted a two-out grand slam off lefty Jacob Latz in the sixth that broke a 3-3 tie.

“I felt like I was 115 pounds running the bases,” d’Arnaud said. “I was trying to hold in my smile a little bit until I hit home plate. It’s surreal. I hope every baseball player gets to feel that.”

This was d’Arnaud’s eighth career multi-homer game and the second time he’s hit three homers in one. He also achieved it on July 15, 2019, with Tampa Bay (“It was cool to do it at home for this one,” d’Arnaud said). This marked his third career grand slam.

Additionally, d’Arnaud is the first Braves catcher with a three-homer game since Dale Murphy on May 18, 1979. He’s the fourth Atlanta Braves catcher to have a three-homer showing, joining Gene Oliver (1966), Bob Tillman (1969) and Murphy.

“It’s one of those nights you dream about having, so I’m happy for him,” manager Brian Snitker said.

— 2. D’Arnaud joined Bryce Harper and former Braves farmhand Shea Langeliers as the only players with three-homer performances this season.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” d’Arnaud said.

Most teams would struggle mightily to replace losing an All-Star backstop like Sean Murphy, but the Braves have the luxury of another All-Star catcher in d’Arnaud and that is preventing them from suffering instability at such an important position.

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