Braves' bats bust out in series-opening win over Red Sox

Michael Harris II collected four hits, including a two-run homer, and the visiting Atlanta Braves ended a two-game skid by beating the Boston Red Sox 7-6 on Tuesday to open a three-game interleague series.

Harris' homer in the eighth inning extended Atlanta's lead to 7-4. It was his 12th home run of the season. He had three RBIs.

Boston got a two-run single from Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the ninth, but Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias stranded runners on second and third to collect his ninth save.

Matt Olson also hit a two-run home run for the Braves, who were held to one run in their previous two games.

Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Kiner-Falefa each hit a solo home run for Boston, which has lost four in a row. The Red Sox are winless in their past five home games.

Atlanta starter Spencer Strider (3-0) pitched five-plus innings. He allowed three runs on three hits, struck out five and walked three.

Boston starter Ranger Suarez (2-3) pitched four scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth. He gave up five runs on six hits in five-plus innings. Suarez fanned four and walked three.

The Red Sox led 2-0 after Duran and Rafaela opened the bottom of the first with back-to-back homers.

It remained 2-0 until Olson tied the game with his team-high 15th home run in the fifth, a two-run shot.

Atlanta took control with a three-run sixth. It was 3-2 after a Harris' double drove in Austin Riley. Greg Weissert relieved Suarez, and Dominic Smith's pinch-hit groundout scored Eli White to make it 4-2. Ronald Acuna Jr. singled in Harris to extend the lead to 5-2.

The Red Sox settled for one run in the bottom half of the sixth after loading the bases with no outs against Strider and Didier Fuentes. Wilyer Abreu scored when Mickey Gasper hit into a double play.

Kiner-Falefa's home run in the seventh cut Atlanta's lead to 5-4.

--Field Level Media