Harris leads Braves to win on penultimate day of regular season
MIAMI — Most Braves regulars got at least one final day in the sun (though not technically, since the roof was closed at loanDepot Park on Saturday) and took advantage in an 8-3 win over the Marlins in the regular season’s penultimate game.
Center fielder Michael Harris II, batting leadoff, led the offensive charge. He went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and an RBI.
Harris will end the season as the Braves’ leader in hits (174) and batting average (. 294) and has two more doubles (36) than first baseman Matt Olson going into Sunday’s finale.
“It’s really gratifying,” Harris said of his season, one of the best of his young career. “It’s something every player wants to do, just be consistent and help impact the team in a positive way the whole year. It’s been great, to say the least.”
Harris was in the leadoff spot for the 79th time in his career and 15th time this season. He’s now 91-for-332 (.274) lifetime at that position in the order.
After his double to start Friday’s game, Harris tagged and scored from third on a shallow popup by Olson down the left field line caught by Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez. Harris reached on an infield single in the second, then drove home Ha-Seong Kim, who had tripled, with a double in the fourth.
Harris added a single in the ninth.
“Just playing free, taking some good swings, and trying to score some runs,” Harris said of his day. “So yeah, felt free out there, and it felt like I was playing in the backyard.”
On the mound for the Braves, left-handed reliever Brent Suter started the game — as part of a planned bullpen day — with three scoreless innings. He gave up one hit and struck out three.
Lefty Dylan Dodd allowed a two-out homer in the fourth to Javier Sanoja and a two-out RBI single to Griffin Conine. Víctor Mederos threw a scoreless fifth and sixth.
Robert Suárez, making his second appearance since returning after three months on the injured list, gave up a two-out RBI triple to Heriberto Hernández. That scored Lopez, who had reached on a swinging bunt to the left of the mound.
Dylan Lee came in for the eighth, erased a leadoff single with a 6-4-3 double play and ended the inning with a strikeout. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed a leadoff single in the ninth but nothing else.
Braves catcher Drake Baldwin padded the lead in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer to center field, his 25th of the season.
The eight-run outburst, regardless of Sunday’s result, may give the Braves a bit of a momentum boost heading into the postseason.
“I feel like every team should roll into the playoffs with confidence, and no matter who you’re playing, you have to have a plan and just go out there and try to execute and do the little things,” Harris said. “Because in the playoffs, everything is more under a microscope, and just got to make sure you execute a lot better.”
The Marlins (79-82) also used Saturday’s contest as a bullpen game and used five pitchers.
After Sunday’s game — a game in which some of the team’s reserves will be afforded more playing time — the Braves (94-67) will return to Truist Park, where they will have a light workout Monday ahead of Tuesday’s playoff opener, time to be announced. An opponent has yet to be determined for that matchup as part of the National League’s Wild Card round.