SAN FRANCISCO — Michael Harris II returned in grand vogue, and three days after enduring a demoralizing loss, the Braves lastly appear to be not off course.
Harris blasted an imposing grand slam into McCovey Cove throughout a five-run first inning that propelled the Braves to a 13-2 win over the Giants on Wednesday evening at Oracle Park. The middle fielder’s first profession slam got here in his first plate look since June 15, when he was positioned on the injured checklist with a strained left hamstring.
“It’s loopy too,” Harris stated. “I advised myself earlier than the sport, I believe I noticed any individual hit a grand slam [on the clubhouse television]. I had by no means hit one and I bought it out of the best way with my first AB [at-bat].”
Harris, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Sean Murphy all homered because the Braves gained their third straight since blowing a six-run, eighth-inning lead towards the Rockies at Coors Discipline on Sunday. Atlanta stays two video games in entrance of the Mets and 4 1/2 video games in entrance of a trio of groups, together with the Giants, within the battle for the Nationwide League’s third Wild Card spot.
However nothing comes straightforward on this recreation. Jorge Soler exited with left hamstring tightness after grounding out within the fourth. Soler will endure a MRI examination on Thursday, however supervisor Brian Snitker is hopeful the slugger wants only a couple days of relaxation.
It has been a tough 12 months for the Braves, who’ve seen Harris, Ronald Acuña Jr., Murphy and Spencer Strider every miss at the very least two months. The thought has been issues would get higher and the lineup would acquire a lot wanted size when Harris returned.
It didn’t take lengthy to strengthen this perception. Harris fouled the primary pitch he noticed from Robbie Ray after which drilled the following one, a Statcast-projected 423 toes, towards a kayaker in McCovey Cove. It was simply the second homer this 12 months to land within the water past the right-field wall.
“It felt good,” Harris stated. “Too unhealthy I couldn’t get [the ball] again. The man didn’t need to give it again. So, I assume I simply bought to attempt to do it once more.”
Harris’ house run was the one ball the Braves put in play towards Giants starter Robbie Ray, who hit the primary two batters he confronted after which issued three walks whereas recording simply two outs.
“That’s a solution to make your entrance,” Snitker stated. “That was fairly good.”
Braves starter Grant Holmes surrendered a leadoff homer to Tyler Fitzgerald however saved the Giants scoreless from there till they pushed a run throughout within the seventh. He notched his first profession win with the seven-inning effort and helped the aid corps get some much-needed relaxation.
Harris’ return upgrades the recently-suspect Braves’ outfield protection. However he additionally gives the lineup the power-speed device it has lacked since he was injured just a little greater than two weeks after Acuña tore his left ACL.
“It’s simply good to have him in there,” Snitker stated. “He’s certainly one of our guys. We missed him for 2 months. It’s simply good to get him again on the market, working round.”
Soler has positively impacted the lineup since being acquired from the Giants on July 29. He has homered 4 occasions in his previous 21 at-bats. Olson has hit eight of his 21 homers inside his previous 67 at-bats. And Riley has hit 4 of his 19 homers in his previous eight video games.
Olson and Riley each nonetheless have an opportunity to report a fourth straight 30-homer season. In different phrases, the offense has rounded into kind, simply in time to profit from Harris’ return.
“It’s all been actually good to see,” Snitker stated. “After a tough Sunday, we’ve accomplished some actually good issues right here the previous few days.”
