Michael Harris II hit a three-run homer and posted his eighth straight multi-hit game and Nick Allen had a two-run double, powering the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 10-1 rout of the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night.
Marcell Ozuna, Nacho Alvarez Jr., Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin also drove in runs as the Braves scored 10 times on 13 hits in the first six innings, the first eight runs (six earned) coming off Guardians starter Slade Cecconi (5-6).
Harris homered in the fifth and doubled in the sixth to tie the franchise record for consecutive multi-hit games. The last Braves player with an eight-game streak was Chris Johnson in 2013.
The Guardians began the series one-half game behind the New York Yankees for the third and final American League wild-card spot, but have not held a lead in the first two games of the series.
Braves starter Joey Wentz (4-3) won his second in a row, giving up one run on three hits over six innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked a pair in his personal-high 11th career appearance — and third of the season — against Cleveland.
Hunter Stratton pitched the final three innings for his first save.
Brayan Rocchio’s solo homer in the third cut the Guardians’ deficit to 3-1, but Atlanta answered with two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Alvarez and Allen had three hits apiece, while Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozuna joined Harris with two apiece. Harris is batting .486 during his nine-game hitting streak and Atlanta won for the seventh time in its last eight games.
Cecconi was rocked for 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out three with two walks. The right-hander remained winless in five starts since July 18, going 0-2 with a 6.41 ERA.
The Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers are the only teams who have never lost a series in Cleveland. Atlanta won the opener 2-0 on a combined two-hitter started by rookie Hurston Waldrep.
–Field Level Media
