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- Versatile lineup of the Braves under manager Walt Weiss adapts roles, from leadoff to ninth, producing timely offense all season.
- Key homers by Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski, plus an RBI double from Matt Olson, turned momentum in the game.
- Michael Harris II has hit throughout the order and is hitting over .300 with seven homers and 23 RBI, showing steady growth.
The Atlanta Braves won another series following a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Against the best teams in baseball, teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cubs, the Braves have more than held their own this season.
After the game, Walt Weiss was asked what the ceiling was for his team. “It’s never easy, but you try to attack the day every day,” he said. “Then you look up at the end and it should be pretty good.”
This season, the Braves’ offense has continued to find a way to generate runs whenever needed. On Tuesday, while down 2-1 to the Cubs in the fifth inning, the Braves got a solo home run from Austin Riley, a two-run home run from Mike Yastrzemski, and an RBI double off the right field wall from Matt Olson to go ahead 5-2. The versatility of the lineup has been on full display this season as first-year manager Walt Weiss has tinkered with everything from who is batting leadoff to who is playing designated hitter to who is batting in the ninth spot. It’s all worked.
On Wednesday, Mauricio Dubon was hitting leadoff for the first time this season. His big moment of the night would come in the eighth inning when his two-run home run over the left field fence put Atlanta up 4-1. Drake Baldwin had been in that lead spot for the past week and a half, with Ronald Acuna, Jr. out of the lineup. In this game, Baldwin hit second and hit a solo home run to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. In the same game, backup catcher Sandy Leon and right fielder Jose Azocar hit eighth and ninth in the lineup, and both found themselves on base following singles in the third inning. It’s all working.
Michael Harris II has hit in every spot from cleanup to ninth. This season, under Weiss, Harris II is hitting over .300 with seven home runs and 23 RBI. Last season, he didn’t reach those numbers until well after the All-Star break. It’s a work in progress.
“Big hit for Yaz and Dubey keeps on keeping on,” said Weiss about the offensiuve contributions on Wednesday night. “Everyone’s chipping in.”
The Braves and Cubs have anothert 7:15 p.m. scheduled first pitch on Thursday night. Chris Sale will start for Atlanta, according to Weiss.
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