TAMPA, Fla. — Michael Harris II hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 5-4 comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday for their first road win of the season.
Atlanta catcher Sean Murphy went deep twice — he had a solo shot in the seventh before being part of back-to-back homers with Ozzie Albies in the eighth — as the Braves snapped a franchise record-tying 0-8 start away from home. They matched the 1980 Braves for the club’s longest road losing streak to open a season.
The blast by Harris, his second of the season, came off Cole Sulser (0-1) and was the Braves’ fourth home run in the final three innings Saturday after they trailed 2-0 and then 3-1. Atlanta was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position until Harris drove in Nick Allen, who hit a leadoff double, with the go-ahead homer.
Rays center fielder Kameron Misner made a tremendous diving attempt on Allen’s fly ball at the wall, but he dropped it to set up the Braves’ late rally.
Jonathan Aranda homered off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before Christopher Morel flied out to end the game. Atlanta’s Dylan Lee (1-1) was the winning pitcher after working the eighth.