Michael Harris II homered, singled twice, scored three times and drove in two runs, Spencer Strider threw seven sharp innings and the Atlanta Braves opened a three-game road series with a 5-1 triumph over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Matt Olson contributed an RBI double and sacrifice fly to Atlanta’s third win over San Francisco in four meetings over the past eight days, this one in the opener of a 10-game road trip.
Harris belted Logan Webb’s sixth pitch of the game for his 12th homer of the season, a solo shot that gave the visitors a lead they never relinquished.
The center fielder ignited a two-run fourth with a leadoff single, after which he stole second and came around on a one-out double by Olson. Marcell Ozuna followed with an RBI single, making it 3-0.
Harris was in the middle of another two-run uprising in the sixth when he followed a Ronald Acuna Jr. triple with a run-scoring single. After another steal of second and an infield out, Harris made it 5-0 when he scored on Olson’s sacrifice fly.
The five-run cushion was more than sufficient for Strider (15-4) and two relievers, who combined on a six-hitter as the Braves won their third game in a row.
Coming off consecutive seven-inning shutout efforts, Strider ran his string of scoreless innings to 20 before Joc Pederson tripled and scored on a J.D. Davis infield out in the seventh.
Strider was pulled after seven innings for the third consecutive start, this time after allowing one run and three hits. He walked one and struck out nine.
Joe Jimenez and Raisel Iglesias finished up with a scoreless inning apiece, allowing a total of three hits.
Webb (9-10) worked 5 1/3 innings, and he yielded all five Braves runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Wade Meckler had two singles and a walk in three plate appearances for the Giants, who lost a series opener for the fifth consecutive time. San Francisco, a contender for a National League wild-card playoff spot, has dropped 13 of its past 18 games.
Atlanta out-hit San Francisco 7-6.
–Field Level Media
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