Michael Harris hits grand slam in first at bat after injury, Braves beat Giants 13-2

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Michael Harris hit a grand slam in his first at-bat after missing nearly two months with a hamstring injury, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 13-2 on Wednesday night.

Activated from the injured list for the game, Harris hit an 0-1 curveball off Robbie Ray (2-2) into McCovey Cove for his first career grand slam and Atlanta’s fourth of the season. It was the first grand slam hit by an opponent into McCovey Cove in Oracle Park’s 24-year history.

“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Harris said. “It’s crazy because I said to myself before the game, I think I saw someone hit a grand slam and I said to myself I would never hit one. I went out there and did it back AB first. Pretty cool.”

Grant Holmes (1-0) struck out six in seven innings in his first career win. The 28-year-old rookie allowed eight hits and two runs. Former Giants pitcher Luke Jackson and Jimmy Herget each struck out three batters to finish the game.

Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Sean Murphy also homered for Atlanta in the Braves’ third straight win over the Giants.

San Francisco used outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to pitch the ninth inning. Yastrzemski threw 29 pitches and allowed two runs, two hits and three walks.

Tyler Fitzgerald hit his 14th home run of the season and 16th of his career for the Giants. Fitzgerald and the late Hall of Famer Willie Mays are the only players in franchise history to hit at least 16 home runs in their first 60 career games. Mays had 17.

Olson hit his 21st homer off Sean Hjelle in the third. Riley hit off Erik Miller in the fifth.

Jarred Kelenic hit a two-run double in the sixth inning for Atlanta and Murphy hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning.

That was enough support for Holmes, who had never pitched beyond five innings in his previous three starts.

“I was thinking tonight the last time I pitched seven innings was in 2017 (in the minors),” Holmes said. “So it was pretty cool to do that in the big leagues.”

The Giants have lost four in a row. They continued to struggle offensively, stranding eight runners and leaving the bases loaded in the third.

Ray immediately got into trouble when he hit the first two batters with pitches. After Marcel Ozuna retired, Ray walked Matt Olson and Orlando Arcia to drive in one run. After a visit from the Giants on the mound, Harris extended the lead to 5-0 with his sixth home run of the season.

“That’s one way to make an entrance,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s just good to have him around. He’s one of our guys and we’ve missed him. So it’s good to have him back there and running around.”

Ray lasted only 2/3 of an inning, marking the shortest start of his career.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: Jorge Soler left the game with left hamstring strain and is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday. … Harris had missed 52 games with a left hamstring injury. To make room, Atlanta OF sent Eli White to Triple-A Gwinnett. … Snitker said RHP Reynaldo Lopez (right arm swelling) likely will be activated early next week.

Giants: IF Marco Luciano was sent to Triple-A Sacramento. OR Grant McCray was called up. … RHP Tristan Beck (vascular arm surgery) threw three innings and 48 pitches in a rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento.

NEXT

Giants RHP Logan Webb (10-8, 3.32 ERA) was scheduled to face LHP Max Fried (7-6, 3.56) in the final game of the series on Thursday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Michael Wagaman, The Associated Press