Michael Harris hit a grand slam in his first at-bat after missing almost two months due to a hamstring injury, helping the Atlanta Braves defeat the San Francisco Giants 13-2 on Wednesday night.
Activated from the injured list just before the game, Harris smashed an 0-1 curveball from Robbie Ray (2-2) into McCovey Cove for his first career grand slam and Atlanta’s fourth of the season.
It was also the first grand slam hit into McCovey Cove by an opposing player in the 24-year history of Oracle Park.
“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Harris said. “It’s crazy because I told myself before the game, I think I’ve seen somebody hit a grand slam and I told myself I’d never hit one. Went up there and did it first AB back. Pretty cool.”
Grant Holmes (1-0) had six strikeouts 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 retired three batters each to close out the game.
Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Sean Murphy also homered for Atlanta in the Braves’ third consecutive victory 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 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 home run off Sean Hjelle in the third. Riley connected with Erik Miller in the fifth.
Jarred Kelenic added a two-run double for Atlanta in the sixth, and Murphy hit a two-run home run in the eighth.
That was enough support for Holmes, who had never pitched beyond five innings in any of his previous three starts.
