The Atlanta Braves go for their first four-game road sweep over the San Francisco Giants in 68 years when the National League playoff contenders wrap up their season series Thursday afternoon. Separated by just 1 1/2 games when they took the field Monday, the Braves entered the showdown series having lost seven of eight, while the Giants had won four of five to close the gap in the NL wild-card race. However, extra-inning RBIs by Travis d'Arnaud on Monday and Tuesday and Michael Harris II's first-inning grand slam on Wednesday have allowed Atlanta to run off three consecutive wins over San Francisco.
The last time a Braves team swept a four-game road series over the Giants, the visitors were representing Milwaukee and the set took place in New York over three days -- including a doubleheader -- in June 1956. It was so long ago, Hank Aaron was the Braves' right fielder and Willie Mays the Giants' center fielder. Harris finished with a career-best five RBIs in the Braves' 13-2 win on Wednesday, hitting his first career slam into McCovey Cove in his first game since June 14.
He had been sidelined due to a hamstring injury. "It kind of feels like the first day of school," Harris said. "It feels like I haven't seen them in a while.
I'm just excited to be back." On the same night that Harris returned, Braves left fielder Jorge Soler (who began the season with the Giants) left in the fourth inning because of hamstring tightness. He will sit out on Thursday and is due to undergo an M.