The Scooby-Doo cleats. The Tom and Jerry sliding glove. And the bats. So many bats.
As Harris laid all of the bats out in entrance of his locker, he joked that he was going to attempt to get a success with all six of the bats throughout the weekend.
He’s greater than midway there.
After getting hits together with his Tremendous Mario and SpongeBob SquarePants bats in Atlanta’s win on Friday, Harris launched a giant three-run residence run on Saturday together with his Curious George-themed bat within the Braves’ 10-1 win over the Guardians at Progressive Discipline.
With the win, the Braves have secured their third straight sequence win. In the event that they win on Sunday, they’ll choose up their first sequence sweep since they took down the Mets in a three-game sequence from June 17-19.
Harris added a sixth-inning double together with his blue “Cash Mike” bat, which elevated his streak of video games with a couple of hit to eight. It’s the longest such streak in MLB this yr and the longest by a Courageous since Chris Johnson in 2013.
“I simply needed to get the bats in rotation and use all of them,” Harris stated. “Two extra to go. Tomorrow we will strive once more.”
Whereas Harris’ season didn’t begin the way in which he needed, he’s doing the whole lot in his energy to ensure it ends how he needs. Harris is now hitting .386 in 28 video games within the second half, with eight residence runs and 21 RBIs. After recording 22 extra-base hits in 93 video games earlier than the All-Star break, he has 19 since.
“He made some swing changes in his setup,” supervisor Brian Snitker stated of Harris. “He wanted to, he wasn’t going anyplace [or] doing what he wanted to do. I feel he was working actually laborious they usually did some good issues for him. Typically guys are resistant to vary, and he did a superb job being open to that.”
He was considered one of 4 Braves to report a multihit recreation. Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Nick Allen each recorded three-hit video games, they usually bought issues began within the second inning with back-to-back RBI hits.
At some factors this season, Alvarez has struggled with feeling “sporadic” within the batter’s field. However after an up-and-down season, Saturday was a type of video games the place the whole lot appeared to decelerate for Atlanta’s No. 6 prospect.
“All the things I used to be doing was rushed,” Alvarez stated. “You want days like these whenever you’re in a tough spot.”
Allen’s two-run double within the second inning traveled 364 ft within the air, marking the second-furthest ball he’s hit this yr.
“It was nice to hit the ball laborious,” Allen stated. “I do know it’s all going to come back round.”
Alvarez and Allen mixed to go 6-for-9 with three RBIs and three runs scored from the No. 8 and 9 spots within the lineup.
“That’s what we need to do,” Allen stated. “If we do this, we’re doing a superb job.”
For the primary three years of his profession, Allen watched Harris from afar whereas he was with the Athletics. Now he’s getting an opportunity to expertise the 24-year-old’s exploits firsthand.
“Braves followers have seen his [talent] for means longer than me, however now I’m seeing it every single day,” Allen stated. “It’s wonderful.”
That offensive manufacturing backed starter Joey Wentz. It marked the second straight begin the place Wentz allowed one run throughout 5 or extra innings.
“He’s throwing very well and making the most of the chance he’s bought,” Snitker stated.
“I’ve simply been executing my pitches at a greater clip and stepping into some higher counts,” he stated. “It’s been nice. Simply loads of confidence in what I’m doing proper now and what the catchers are doing.”
Like Allen, Wentz has gotten the possibility to look at Harris from afar throughout his baseball journey that introduced him to 3 totally different franchises previous to becoming a member of the Braves. However now he will get to reap the advantages of Harris’ robust (and, in Saturday’s case, colourful) bat and slick fielding.
“He’s somebody that may change the sport with one swing,” Wentz stated. “He’s a whole participant.”
