Harris II's Game-Winner
Michael Harris II's Pinch-Hit 3-Run Double Secures Braves' 3-2 Victory, Completing Sweep of Pirates
The Atlanta Braves completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, winning 3-2 on a pinch-hit 3-run double by Michael Harris II in the seventh inning. The Braves, now 45-21, have won eight of their last 10 games and lead the NL East by 9.5 games over the Philadelphia Phillies Associated Press.
Harris II was not even in the starting lineup. He was held out due to back soreness. But manager Brian Snitker called him off the bench with the bases loaded and two runs to make up. Harris II drove a 109-mph blast into the right-field corner, clearing the bases and flipping a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead MLB.com.
Harris II's Clutch Double Breaks Open a Tight Game
The Pirates looked in control for most of the afternoon. Starter Bubba Chandler cruised through five innings before the seventh unraveled fast. A throwing error by third baseman Tyler Callihan and two walks from reliever Evan Sisk loaded the bases with no outs Associated Press.
Snitker sent Harris II up to hit for catcher Sandy León. On the second pitch, Harris II sent a line drive screaming into the right-field corner. All three runners scored. "This is the team we've been all year, kind of believing in each other," Harris II said after the game, per MLB.com. "Pretty much used everybody tonight to get it done."
Braves Bullpen Slams the Door on Pittsburgh's Late Threat
Reynaldo López pitched a clean seventh inning. Then Tyler Kinley walked into a mess in the eighth — bases loaded, one out. He got Ryan O'Hearn to pop out, then grounded out to end the inning without allowing a run Field Level Media.
Rookie Didier Fuentes closed it out in the ninth. He stranded two runners and struck out Endy Rodríguez to record his first career save. The game ended at 4:10 PM in front of 37,697 fans at Truist Park and took just 2 hours and 33 minutes to play Field Level Media.
Horwitz Homers Early, but Pirates Bullpen Collapses Again
Pittsburgh got on the board immediately. First baseman Spencer Horwitz led off the game with his 8th home run of the season, a 411-foot shot to right-center on a full-count slider. He has now reached base in 15 straight games and is hitting .560 in nine career games at Truist Park, per MLB.com.
The Pirates added a second run in the third inning and looked set to win. But the bullpen has now blown 13 leads this season, according to Pittsburgh Baseball Now. Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly used Mason Montgomery as an opener — a tactic he has tried four times this year — but the strategy could not hold up in the late innings.
Braves Eye 109-Win Pace While Pirates Hunt for Bullpen Help
Atlanta's current pace projects to 109 wins. That would break the franchise record of 106. The Braves' bullpen carries a 2.99 ERA, and the offense leads all of MLB with 540 hits, according to FanSided. They were also the first NL team to reach 40 wins in 2026.
The Pirates face a harder road. Pittsburgh's bullpen ranks 19th in MLB with a 4.32 ERA, per TribLIVE. With star pitcher Paul Skenes posting a 5.85 ERA over his last four starts, the pressure on relievers is only growing. ESPN's Buster Olney has reported the market for bullpen arms is thin ahead of the trade deadline, with few teams willing to move high-leverage relievers.
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