Michael Harris II laced a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning on Saturday to help the streaking Atlanta Braves earn a 2-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies.
Atlanta mounted a two-out rally in the eighth. Colorado reliever Jaden Hill (0-3) allowed singles by Matt Olson and Mauricio Dubon before Harris split the left-center gap with the Braves’ lone extra-base hit.
Didier Fuentes was entrusted with the ninth for the Braves. After allowing Willi Castro’s leadoff walk and Troy Johnston’s one-out single, the 21-year-old Fuentes struck out Zac Veen and got Jake McCarthy to line out to seal his third save and Atlanta’s sixth straight win.
Brent Suter (2-2) threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Braves.
Colorado’s Ryan Feltner was scratched from the start due to illness. In his place, Zach Agnos opened with 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Six pitchers combined to allow six Atlanta hits.
After a 15-minute rain delay preceded the game, Martin Perez started strongly. Before allowing Cole Carrigg’s two-out double in the third, he fanned five straight batters.
Drake Baldwin and Ronald Acuna Jr. laced back-to-back two-out singles in the bottom of the third to chase Agnos after 42 pitches. Rookie Nick Frasso entered in relief and walked Matt Olson to load the bases. Frasso got Dubon to fly out to end the threat.
Brennan Bernardino threw a scoreless fifth for the Rockies.
Perez needed just four pitches to record the first two outs of the sixth. From there, though, Hunter Goodman walked, TJ Rumfield singled and Connor Norby walked to load the bases. Perez allowed the game’s first run on Castro’s single to left.
Suter relieved Perez and got Mickey Moniak to ground out.
Perez struck out six and walked two across 5 2/3 frames, allowing one run and five hits.
After Harris began the seventh with an infield single, Ozzie Albies fouled an 0-2 pitch off the mask of home plate umpire Ron Kulpa that forced him to exit. After a 13-minute delay, play resumed with Herget plunking Albies.
Mike Yastrzemski then grounded into a double play. Jaden Hill relieved Herget and walked Austin Riley, but fanned Lane Thomas to end the threat.