The Braves completed a four-game sweep of the Pirates, winning 5-3 Sunday at Truist Park, to extend their winning streak to 11 games.
Here are five takeaways from Sunday:
1. Outfielder Adam Duvall is beginning to turn his season around. He homered twice off Pirates starter Jose Quintana on Sunday, his 11th multi-homer game. In his last seven games, Duvall is 9-for-27 (.333) with four homers, two doubles and eight RBIs.
Duvall admits moving off center field and easing the toll on his legs has helped him. He’s ecstatic his success is helping the Braves produce their best run of the season.
“That’s always the goal every day, to help your team win,” Duvall said. “The way I can do that is drive in runs and play good defense. That’s the key. … We’ve got a good thing going. Good clubhouse, good energy. When we don’t do like we want to, we don’t panic. We stick with the process, and it all works out.”
2. William Contreras, catching for the second consecutive day, homered and doubled Sunday. He and Duvall launched back-to-back homers in the second. Contreras has six extra-base hits in nine games this month. He has nine homers in 27 games, while 16 of his 26 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
“He’s been hitting the ball hard, and that’s the key to this game,” Duvall said. “He’s helped us out tremendously. Not only from a catching standpoint, with Manny (Piña) going down, but from an offensive standpoint. His power is impressive. It’s really cool to see.”
3. Outfielder Michael Harris sparkled in his first full homestand. After collecting a hit Sunday, he went 7-for-20 (.350) with two doubles, a triple, three RBIs and five runs scored during the six-game stretch.
“He’s incredible,” starter Kyle Wright said. “He’s unbelievable. … He’s so impressive. His maturity at the plate, his defense, running the bases. He’s just so advanced, and you don’t see that a lot from kids his age. It’s been a lot of fun to watch him play. Any time the ball is hit to the outfield, you feel like he’s going to get it. Any time he steps up to the plate, you feel like something exciting will happen. He’s been a huge part of this run we’ve been on, for sure.”
4. Wright, vying for surprise All-Star honors, allowed three runs over six innings. It wasn’t his finest performance, but he covered six frames and set up Will Smith, A.J. Minter and Kenley Jansen to finish the game cleanly.
Wright praised Contreras for his defense and game management, which is always notable given Contreras’ work to improve in those areas.
“I thought we were able to put a good game together when quite frankly I didn’t have my best stuff,” Wright said. “That’s a big credit to him for staying with it, staying with me, calling a good game and being really good back there.”
5. The Braves’ 11-game winning streak is tied for the longest run this season (Yankees, Astros). It’s the lengthiest winning streak for the Braves since they won 14 consecutive games in 2013. They have solid odds of keeping the good vibes going: The Braves face the rebuilding Nationals and Cubs on the upcoming road trip.
Stat to know
55-13 (The Braves have outscored the Pirates 55-13 in their last seven meetings at Truist Park, all victories.)
Quotable
“He probably works too much, too hard at it sometimes. He cares too much sometimes, I think. That’s why I’m always happy when he does well because he works so hard and cares so much.” – manager Brian Snitker on Duvall
Roster move
The Braves outrighted Joseph Dunand to Triple-A Gwinnett. They’d designated Dunand for assignment after claiming first baseman Mike Ford off waivers. Both players are veteran depth in Gwinnett.
Collin McHugh return close
Snitker said reliever Collin McHugh (COVID IL) is feeling better, and he’s optimistic McHugh will rejoin the Braves sometime during this week’s road trip.
Up next
The Braves begin a six-game road trip Monday, starting with three games in Washington. Ian Anderson (5-3, 4.53) will start the series opener against Josiah Gray (6-4, 4.33).
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