Braves' Davidson homers twice for 2nd straight game

October 31st, 2018

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Braxton Davidson is getting used to jogging around the bases in the Arizona Fall League.
After hitting a pair of homers on Tuesday, Davidson belted two more during Peoria's 6-0 win over Scottsdale on Wednesday at Peoria Sports Complex. The Braves' prospect went deep four times in a span of five at-bats over the past two games.
"I feel good, man, like I said yesterday, just trying to have quality at-bats, putting swings on balls and swinging at good pitches," said Davidson, who leads the Fall League with five home runs. "I've been seeing the ball well and getting my timing right."
Gameday
Can Davidson remember a stretch as dominant as this during his pro career?
"Nothing like this," Davidson said. "This is probably like the best baseball I've played in a while."
Over five Minor League seasons, Davidson has two multi-homer games, both of which came this year -- June 9 and Aug. 8 -- for Class A Advanced Florida. He has never hit three home runs in a game. But he hit two quickly on Wednesday.
With one out in the first inning, Davidson belted a three-run homer off Phillies farmhand Tyler Viza to open the scoring. Davidson drove the ball to straightaway center field, and it hit off the batter's eye above the yellow home run marker.
In the third, Davidson went deep off Viza again, hitting an opposite-field solo homer to left for a 4-0 Peoria lead.
"I felt like I got it good," Davidson said. "He started me off with a curveball for a strike. I've been working trying to stay more left-center, center-field approach, not trying to spin off balls. He just threw me a pitch I could handle on the outer third, and I just took it that way."
Davidson struck out swinging in the fifth, but he notched his second straight three-hit game when he singled in the seventh.
Over his last six AFL games, Davidson has collected all five of his Fall League homers and all 11 of his RBIs. During that stretch, he has raised his average from .067 to .275. Entering Tuesday, Davidson was batting .161.
Davidson's early run support was more than enough for Peoria as Mariners No. 27 prospectAnthony Misiewicz and five relievers combined to shut out Scottsdale, allowing only five hits.
Davidson flashed his power potential during the Minor League season, when he hit 20 home runs at the Class A Advanced level. However, the Braves' prospect hit .171 with 213 strikeouts in 416 at-bats.
Strikeouts have been an issue for Davidson in the past, but he "100 percent" feels that the extra at-bats during the AFL season are helping him become a better hitter.
"All these guys can play, good hitters, really good pitchers, good arms around here," Davidson said. "You've just got to step up to the plate, rise to the occasion, and hopefully I can keep it going for the rest of the Fall League."