Monday night’s contest between the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox was over. But then suddenly, it wasn’t.
Unfortunately for Braves manager Brian Snitker, he couldn’t re-insert center fielder Michael Harris II when the team started to mount a comeback.
Snitker removed Harris for a pinch runner after the outfielder recorded his fourth hit in the eighth inning Monday night. At the time, the Braves trailed by eight runs.
The Braves, though, proceeded to score four runs in the inning, and with two outs and the bases loaded, Harris’ spot in the order came up again. But instead of baseball’s hottest hitter, who went 4-for-4 with a home run Monday before leaving, pinch runner Eli White batted with the bases loaded and two outs.
White struck out to end the eighth. The Braves lost 13-9.
After the defeat, Snitker explained to reporters he inserted White as a pinch runner for Harris to get him “off his feet” because he’s played so much since the All-Star break. Snitker admitted, with hindsight, that was a mistake.
“That blew up,” said Snitker, via The Athletic’s David O’Brien.
