Aug 9, 2025: Atlanta Braves top Miami Marlins 7-1 as Hurston Waldrep dominates, Michael Harris II blasts a 3-run HR, and Jurickson Profar robs a homer.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
On a sticky Saturday afternoon at Truist Park, the Braves got exactly what they’ve been craving: a young arm taking the ball and taking control. Hurston Waldrep, recalled again from Gwinnett, shoved for six-plus innings while Michael Harris II delivered the haymaker — a 409-foot three-run homer — in a 7-1 win over the Marlins to open a split doubleheader. Sprinkle in Drake Baldwin’s steady run production, a wall-scaling robbery from Jurickson Profar, and a history-making appearance by umpire Jen Pawol, and you’ve got one of those everything-clicks kind of days on the Battery.
“Six-plus and a standing ovation — Hurston Waldrep didn’t just arrive, he planted a flag.”
This was Waldrep’s most complete big-league outing to date: 6+ innings, one run, four hits, one walk, and a career-high six strikeouts. More important than the line was the shape of it — tempo, strike throwing, and soft contact that kept Miami off-balance. Manager Brian Snitker went to the pen after a leadoff single in the seventh, and Truist Park rose with him. For a prospect who’s ridden the I‑85 shuttle between Gwinnett and Atlanta, this felt like a circle-the-calendar moment. Stability in the rotation has been a question; Waldrep looked like an answer.
Atlanta manufactured early and mauled late. Two runs crossed in the second (Sean Murphy and Michael Harris II scored), another in the third when Allen came home on Drake Baldwin’s RBI single, and then the seventh turned into a party. Profar scored on another Baldwin knock, and moments later Harris II unloaded to straightaway center, a 409-foot missile that brought Matt Olson and Baldwin with him. That swing didn’t just pad the lead; it slammed the door.
Quiet confidence, loud results. Baldwin went 2-for-4 with two RBIs — one in the third, one in the seventh — to bring his series total to seven. He keeps finding barrels in leverage spots, and that matters as much to voters as it does to a clubhouse. You can see pitchers adjusting; he’s adjusting back. If the Braves make a run, Baldwin’s steady run production is going to be one of the through-lines of the season’s second half.
Agustín Ramírez thought he had a solo shot — until Jurickson Profar timed, tracked, and took it away. The left fielder went full-extension at the wall to rob a would-be homer, and Waldrep knew exactly how big it was. He pounded his glove, the crowd roared, and the tenor of the game stayed firmly in Atlanta’s hands. On a day the rookie was dealing, the defense had his back.
Beyond the box score, Saturday carried significance for the sport. Jen Pawol became the first woman to umpire a Major League game at Truist Park. It was a milestone moment noted by players, staff, and fans alike — one of those snapshots you’ll remember when you think about the game evolving in real time.
Big picture, the Braves just got six-plus efficient innings from a rookie in a doubleheader opener, which is gold for a bullpen day. Waldrep’s performance strengthens his case to stay put in the rotation rather than ride the shuttle. Harris II’s swing decisions looked crisp, and Baldwin keeps stacking resume wins for NL Rookie of the Year. The immediate task: carry the clean baseball into the nightcap and grab a split-DH sweep. With momentum, a rested(ish) bullpen, and the crowd humming, Atlanta’s in a good spot to keep pressing the gas against Miami.
Game 1 checked every box: a statement start from a rookie, timely thump, elite defense, and a milestone that stretched beyond the field. If the Braves bottle that formula tonight and beyond, the rotation gets sturdier, the lineup lengthens, and the wins follow. Same opponent, same yard — now go finish the job.
