On Aug. 9, 2025, Braves beat Marlins 7-1 as MLB's first female plate ump made history. Harris II homered, Hurston Waldrep shined, Drake Baldwin had 2 RBI.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
On a day Major League Baseball rewrote its own history, the Braves wrote the kind of win fans have been craving. With a female umpire working behind the plate for the first time in MLB history, Atlanta cruised past the Marlins 7-1 in Game 1 of a Truist Park doubleheader. Michael Harris II cracked a three-run homer to dead center to break it open, rookie right-hander Hurston Waldrep carved six strong innings, and Drake Baldwin kept his breakout rolling with a pair of RBI singles as the Braves moved to 49-67.
It's a great day for baseball and for equality in our sport. — Brian Snitker
Before we get to bats and pitches, let’s appreciate the moment: MLB’s first-ever female plate umpire called today’s game in Atlanta. It was visible, meaningful progress, and the Braves embraced the spotlight by playing crisp, aggressive baseball. Early situational hitting set the tone, and a late-inning thunderclap from Michael Harris II turned a tight game into a laugher. The day felt bigger than the box score—and the Braves matched the moment with their most complete brand of ball.
Hurston Waldrep gave Brian Snitker exactly what a manager wants to open a twin bill: length, tempo, and control of the strike zone. The rookie tossed six innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits with six strikeouts and two walks. He attacked early counts, limited hard contact, and exited with the lead firmly in hand. For a rotation searching for steady hands, Waldrep has been just that—lowering his ERA to 1.54 and improving to 2-0. It’s early days, but this is how long-term rotation answers reveal themselves.
Harris II is playing like a man who refuses to let August slip by quietly. His 409-foot blast to straightaway center in the seventh blew the game open and punctuated an afternoon where he drove in three and scored twice. The approach looks confident, the swing decisions are sharper, and the results are following. When Harris is hunting pitches in the zone and driving the ball to the big part of the park, the Braves’ lineup profile changes overnight.
Two innings, two RBI singles for Drake Baldwin—one in the third, another as part of the seventh-inning surge. It’s the kind of contact-first production that keeps rallies alive and pitchers on the ropes. For a top prospect handed real responsibility this season, Baldwin continues to look the part of an everyday contributor. It’s not just the bat; his poise with the pitching staff is earning trust in the room.
Atlanta struck first with smart situational hitting: Ozzie Albies’ groundout scored Sean Murphy, and Eli White’s sacrifice fly pushed the lead in the second. Baldwin plated another in the third. After Miami scratched one across, the Braves slammed the door late—Harris II’s three-run shot and Baldwin’s second RBI knock turned a tight contest into a rout. Efficient offense, a quality start, and a bullpen with fewer outs to cover added up to a clean opener to the doubleheader.
It wasn’t just the big-league club making highlights. At Double-A Mississippi, righty Lucas Braun struck out the side in the first inning, continuing a strong run of form that has evaluators taking notice. Over in High-A Rome, Joe Olsavsky made a leaping, highlight-reel catch that lit up MiLB feeds. For a Braves organization retooling on the fly, the pipeline—especially on the pitching side—remains a bona fide bright spot.
Big picture: at 49-67, moral victories aren’t the goal—but building blocks matter. Waldrep’s emergence, Harris II’s August surge, and Baldwin’s steady production are tangible pieces of a better tomorrow. In the short term, they’ve also set up Atlanta for a manageable Game 2: six strong from Waldrep means a fresher bullpen for the nightcap. The task now is simple—bottle Game 1’s formula and run it back. Win the day, then keep stacking them.
