ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Harris II hit a two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies, the sixth straight for the National League East leaders.
Brent Suter (2-2) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and picked up his first victory since joining the Braves at the trade deadline. Rookie Didier Fuentes allowed two baserunners in the ninth but retired Jake McCarthy to end the game and pick up his third save.
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Home Plate umpire Ron Kulpa, right, gets evaluated by Braves trainer George Poulis, center, in the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Zach Agnos (36) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Atlanta Braves pitcher Martín Pérez (33) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Atlanta Braves' Drake Baldwin hits a single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Colorado Rockies pitcher Jimmy Herget delivers in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Harris lifted a fly ball to left center field that was just out of the diving reach of Cole Carrigg and scored Matt Olson from second and Mauricio Dubón from first.
Scheduled Rockies starter Ryan Feltner was scratched Saturday afternoon due to illness and replaced with Zach Agnos as manager Warren Schaeffer went with a bullpen game, using six pitchers. Jaden Hill (0-3) surrendered Harris' double in the eighth.
The Rockies entered the game with an MLB-worst 5.54 team ERA but came within four outs of just their second shutout of the season.
Colorado's lone run came in the sixth inning when Castro knocked Braves starter Martín Pérez with a bases-loaded single that scored Hunter Goodman. Pérez, who was seeking his 100th career win, struck out six in 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits.
Connor Norby was 2 for 3 for the Rockies, who entered the game having lost 9 of 11.
In the seventh inning, home plate umpire Ron Kulpa took a foul ball from Ozzie Albies off the facemask and left the game after meeting with the Braves athletic training staff. The game was delayed 13 minutes as he was replaced by Manny Gonzalez.
MLB said in a statement that Kulpa was being evaluated under concussion protocols and that, at a minimum, he would be off the field Sunday.
The game was delayed 16 minutes at the start due to rain.
Braves RHP Tyler Mahle (5-10, 4.41) will face Rockies RHP Mason Adams (0-0, 2.25) to wrap up the three-game series Sunday.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Home Plate umpire Ron Kulpa, right, gets evaluated by Braves trainer George Poulis, center, in the seventh inning of a baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Zach Agnos (36) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Atlanta Braves pitcher Martín Pérez (33) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Atlanta Braves' Drake Baldwin hits a single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Colorado Rockies pitcher Jimmy Herget delivers in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Known for two violent wrecks at Daytona International Speedway, Ryan Preece experienced a much different ride at NASCAR's hometown track Saturday night: a trip to victory lane.
Preece won the Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona in overtime to secure the final playoff spot for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.
Preece, who ferociously flipped cars at Daytona in 2023 and again in 2025, moved to the front during a green-white-checkered finish when leader Zane Smith got bumped, started spinning and slammed into other cars on the last lap. Preece took the checkered flag under caution and edged Shane van Gisbergen for the 16th and final berth in the postseason finale.
“This is redemption,” said Preece, whose victory landed two RFK cars into the 16-driver Chase for the championship. Chris Buescher is the other.
“I’m just speechless right now,” Preece said. “Those guys, that 60 (car), we’re fighters. When you put our back against the wall, we swing hard. ... Last year, there were a lot of keyboard warriors saying I was nothing. Well, we just kicked their butts tonight.”
Preece expressed confidence all week, but he found himself needing a victory late to pass Shane van Gisbergen for the last playoff spot. Van Gisbergen finished 27th after pitting during the final caution and taking four tires.
“Shame we’re not in it,” said van Gisbergen, who won twice during the regular season but missed the playoffs under NASCAR's new format that puts more emphasis on season-long results that victories.
Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric locked up the other two available spots. Wallace, Cindric, van Gisbergen, Preece and Brad Keselowski started the night vying for the final three spots in the 10-race Chase.
Wallace, who was nearly a lock to make the 16-driver field when the green flag dropped, claimed his spot with a seventh-place finish in the opening stage. Cindric avoided trouble all night, finished sixth and advanced without much fanfare.
Daniel Suarez finished second in the race, followed by Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Van Gisbergen won Stage 1 and created more of a cushion on Preece, who was caught up in a three-car crash as he neared the finish line. Preece raced his way back to the front in Stage 2 and picked up much-needed points with a second-place finish behind Ryan Blaney.
But it came down to the final lap. Preece needed to win to get in — and he pulled it off in dramatic fashion.
“I’m a racer. I know what it takes to build speed,” Preece said. “So every man and woman at RFK, thank you for giving me a rocket ship so I could go to the moon tonight.”
Tom Cruise is getting back behind the wheel for a follow-up to “Days of Thunder.” The 64-year-old Cruise announced Saturday at Daytona he will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle.
He said he wants to show audiences “the speed, the excitement and all that danger and stuff.”
Anne Hathaway will co-star as a team owner and engineer in the film scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures on June 2, 2028.
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will drive a familiar-looking No. 48 in his final Cup Series start. Johnson unveiled his paint scheme for his Toyota in the 2027 Daytona 500 by driving a ceremonial lap around the track before Saturday’s race. The gray-and-blue scheme melds the three main sponsors during Johnson’s record-setting racing career: Lowe’s, Ally and Carvana.
Johnson’s final start will come in the 69th running of the Daytona 500, scheduled for Feb. 21, 2027. Hendrick Motorsports loaned Johnson the No. 48 for his last ride.
“Seeing this car for the first time brings back a lifetime of memories,” Johnson said.
Riley Herbst was scratched from the race because of “lingering effects” from a crash last weekend. Harrison Burton replaced Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota and finished 12th.
Herbst was involved in a crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last Sunday, with his car backing into the outside barrier before being struck again.
The 10-race Chase for the championship begins at Darlington Raceway next Sunday.
See AP’s full auto racing coverage here
Ryan Preece, center, celebrates with his crew after winning the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Chase Elliott (9) leads Ryan Preece (60) through the front stretch at the half way point of the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Actor Tom Crusie exits the building after attending a drivers meeting before a NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Shane Van Gisbergen (97) comes in for a pit stop during the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Kyle Larson (5) and Chase Briscoe (19) lead a group through the front stretch during early laps in the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
