Harris delivers as a pinch-hitter for the Braves, leading 5-3 win over slumping Phillies
ATLANTA -- Michael Harris II delivered a two-run double as a pinch-hitter after being scratched from the starting lineup with an ailing quad, and the Atlanta Braves piled more misery on Philadelphia with a 5-3 victory Friday night that sent the Phillies to their 10th straight loss.
Despite homers from Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, the two-time reigning NL East champion Phillies dropped 10 1/2 games behind the first-place Braves with the season not even a month old. Atlanta has won nine of 10 for the best record in the majors (19-8).
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a two-run homer for the Braves, but it was Harris who delivered the biggest hit on a night when it appeared he wouldn't play at all.
Harris was a late scratch from the lineup as a precautionary measure after tightness in his left quad forced him to leave the previous day's victory over Washington.
But when the Braves, trailing 3-2, put two runners aboard with two outs in the sixth against Andrew Painter (1-1), the call went to Harris as a pinch-hitter for Eli White.
After getting ahead 2-0 in the count, Harris pounced on a 96 mph fastball. The ball cleared leaping left fielder Brandon Marsh while Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubón raced around the bases with the tying and go-ahead runs.
Harris showed no pain at all as he chugged into second base, but he was immediately replaced by pinch-runner Jorge Mateo, who gave the Braves an insurance run by stealing third and coming home on a wild pitch by Painter.
Grant Holmes (2-1) surrendered a two-run homer to Turner in the third inning and a solo shot by Harper leading off the fifth. But he lasted six innings to pick up the win, avoiding further trouble by striking out Kyle Schwarber with the bases loaded to end the fourth.
Robert Suarez earned his third save as a fill-in for injured Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias, retiring Marsh on a weak grounder to end the game with runners at second and third.
Painter gave up nine hits and all five Braves runs over 5 2-3 innings.
RHP Zack Wheeler finally makes his season debut for the Phillies on Saturday after coming back from thoracic outlet surgery. The Braves will counter with RHP Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.50 ERA).
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