'It's happening tonight': Contreras calls his shot ... twice?!

MIAMI -- What started as a joke between teammates turned into a premonition and, for one Saturday night in Miami, William Contreras eclipsed teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. as the best Venezuelan-born player on the Braves’ roster.

Contreras hit two opposite-field home runs to power Atlanta’s 4-3 series-clinching win over the Marlins at loanDepot park.

And it was all predicted by Contreras and Orlando Arcia.

“[Yesterday] when I showed up to the ballpark I joked and said, ‘What would happen if William Contreras hit two home runs tonight,’” Contreras said via interpreter. “And so I showed up to the ballpark again today with the same joke, saying, ‘What would happen if William Contreras hit two home runs today?’ And Arcia said, ‘No, it's not ‘What would happen?’ It's happening tonight.’ So, you know, I'm thankful for all the support and encouragement [my teammates] always give me.”

That support was evident, as the entire time Contreras spoke with the media postgame, Arcia stood on a chair next to the media scrum, occasionally motioning or pounding his fist on the wall with excitement, while Marcell Ozuna hovered on the outskirts of the scrum.

And there was reason for both Contreras and his teammates’ exuberance. The 24-year-old catcher snapped an 0-for-11 streak with his first homer, when he sent a fastball from Elieser Hernandez soaring into the visiting bullpen in right-center field with two outs in the top of the fifth. Contreras went yard again to lead off the seventh, also into the visiting bullpen. It marked his second career multi-homer game, both coming this season.

"All the credit is for him," Hernandez said.

Initially, though, it didn’t seem like it was Contreras’ night.

After walking in his first plate appearance, Contreras erred on the bases. Rather than give the Braves a chance with a runner in scoring position, he was the third out of the top of the third inning.

Contreras safely reached second base on a single from Acuña, but he took a turn at second and challenged the Marlins to throw in, getting caught off the bag as a result. He had been the first Atlanta batter to be in scoring position, just as Acuña’s single was the Braves’ first hit of the game.

The young backstop, who made Atlanta’s Opening Day roster after spending a good chunk of last season filling in as the Braves’ primary catcher while Travis d’Arnaud was injured, has been back in the Majors since he was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on April 28. It was then that he and brother Willson, the Cubs’ catcher, had an emotional reunion while exchanging lineup cards at Wrigley Field.

Whether he’s playing every day or every few days, it doesn’t matter for William. He keeps the same approach at the plate, staying within himself, and playing from his heart, all while following his brother’s advice.

“He just told me to stay focused,” Contreras said. “‘Keep doing your work. Don't change. Don't let anyone get in your way. Don't let anyone stop you, and keep doing what you got to do.’”

That approach is working, as the young catcher has continued to show up in a big way for the Braves despite having made only 38 plate appearances so far this season. He had his first career multi-homer game on April 29, the day after that exchange with his brother.

And after Saturday’s stellar outing, Contreras has more home runs this year (six) than Willson (five). His six homers are also tied with the Royals’ Salvador Perez for the most home runs by a catcher this season, despite having played in 24 games fewer than Perez.

“I have nothing but love, respect and admiration [for Willson],” Contreras said. “My brother, I mean, I'm obsessed with him. He’s my favorite baseball player. And so I just wrote out to him saying, ‘Let's go!’”

With his two self-predicted long balls, Contreras helped secure Atlanta’s first series win on the road this season. Friday marked the first game of a stretch of 17 consecutive games without a day off for the Braves, who are 19-21. Kicking off that long stretch with a pair of wins and the chance at a series sweep is huge for a club hovering around .500.

“It's good [to win],” manager Brian Snitker said. “It's against a division foe, too. The whole object is to win series, so we did, and we haven't won a lot of them but, you know, it doesn't mean we won't in the future.”

If Contreras has proven anything, it’s that the future for the Braves is now.