(Reuters) — Michael Harris II collected four hits, including a two-run home run, 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 closer Raisel Iglesias stranded runners on first and second 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 last five home games.
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.
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, then a Dominic Smith pinch-hit groundout scored Eli White to make it 4-2. A Ronald Acuna Jr. single drove 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 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.
