Braves rally for six runs to down Diamondbacks

Ender Inciarte failed to execute a sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning. It worked out just fine for the Atlanta Braves.

Facing a 3-2 count with two men on, Inciarte swung away and hit a go-ahead, three-run homer during a six-run rally, and the Braves went on to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5 Sunday and increase their NL East lead to four games.

The Braves took advantage of a loss by Philadelphia to match their biggest division edge of the season. Atlanta took three of four in the series.

“I was just trying to hit it hard up in the air somewhere, because I wanted to move the runners however I can and I didn’t want to hit a ball into a double play,” Inciarte said. “I got a good pitch to hit and I was able to hit the ball like that.”

The third-place Diamondbacks have lost seven of nine. They are 21/2 games behind NL West-leading Colorado.

Atlanta didn’t have a hit until Ronald Acuna Jr. homered off Robbie Ray in the sixth. The Braves trailed 4-3 going into the ninth before Tyler Flowers and Ozzie Albies opened with singles off Brad Boxberger (27) and Inciarte, a former Diamondbacks fan favorite, went deep.

JAYS PLAYER HURT CHASING FOUL BALL >> Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Randal Grichuk is being checked for a possible concussion after slamming face-first into a security guard’s chair while chasing a foul ball.

Grichuk had a swollen mark across his face as he left Sunday’s game in Toronto against Cleveland. He was injured while catching Brandon Guyer’s fly in the fourth inning.

Grichuk stayed down for several minutes and was treated on the field by Blue Jays trainers. When he stood up to walk off, television images showed a long, swollen mark on his face.