Swanson belts two HRs to lead surging Braves

After a slow start to the season, Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson has turned it around and is sizzling at the plate.

His team is following suit.

Swanson hit two home runs and the Atlanta Braves built a big lead early before holding off the visiting San Francisco Giants 7-6 Thursday for their 18th win in 21 games this month.

“It’s definitely been a good one,” said Swanson, who’s hitting .385 over his last 30 games to boost his average to .302. “I’ve been working to keep things simple. Most people have gotten to know me pretty good around here, and everything I do is with the mindset to win games. I’m just going to continue with that and put us in a position to be successful.”

Swanson, who homered to begin a three-run rally in the ninth inning for a 4-3 win over the Giants a night earlier, had three hits and drove in three runs.

He hit a leadoff home run in the first and connected again in the fourth, his 12th, for a 7-1 lead. It was his seventh career multihomer game, the last coming Aug. 14, 2021, at Washington.

Travis d’Arnaud hit a two-run single in a five-run second inning as the Braves tagged Alex Wood (5-6).

The defending World Series champion Braves moved 11 games over .500 for the first time this season. They have won 10 of their past 11 home games, outscoring the opposition 67-39 and hitting 26 homers to opponents’ 12.

Atlanta closed within four games of the New

York Mets in the NL East.

“There’s a lot of confidence flowing,” Swanson said. “I feel like we’ve done a really good job of staying true to ourselves and kind of finding our identity as a team.

“We’re starting to find our groove, and I feel like a lot of guys on our team are starting to find themselves as well. You put that together, and it’s a powerful thing,” he said.

San Francisco, which grounded into four double plays in the first four innings, has dropped four of five.

“It felt like we were an inning short,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “They made one more pitch, made one more play, advanced one more base than we did. I personally don’t take a lot satisfaction in being close in games.”

Atlanta starter Kyle Wright (8-4) allowed 10 hits and four runs in 5 1⁄3

innings.

Wright got Evan Longoria to ground into a double play with the bases loaded to end the first. He gave up an RBI single to Curt Casali in the second and a homer to Austin Slater that made it 7-2.

Tommy La Stella hit an RBI double as the Giants scored twice in the sixth and chased Wright. Jesse Chavez relieved and walked pinch-hitter Brandon Belt to load the bases before Mike Yastrzemski struck out for the fourth time to end the threat.

Will Smith gave up Slater’s RBI single in the eighth to make it 7-5.

Kenley Jansen recorded his 19th save in 22 chances and the 369th of his career to pass Jonathan Papelbon for 10th place on the career list. Joc Pederson, who played for the Braves last year, hit his 16th home run, sending a two-out drive into the second deck of the Chop House restaurant in right field.

“All four games could’ve went either way for either team,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s good, a big series win.”

Wood (5-6) was charged with four hits and six runs after pitching one inning and retiring none of the six batters he faced in the second. Wood, who recorded his 1,000th career strikeout when d’Arnaud whiffed, began the game 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA in three career starts at Truist Park.

Pirates 8, Cubs 7:

Michael Chavis hit a tying home run in the eighth before pulling off a defensive gem and delivering a game-ending single in the 10th, sending host Pittsburgh over Chicago.

Chavis’ solo homer made it 7-all after the Cubs scored five times in the top of the eighth.

In the 10th, Chavis charged a slow grounder by Jason Heyward toward first base and threw out Patrick Wisdom at the plate.

In the bottom half, Chavis blooped a single to right off Scott Effross (1-3) and automatic runner Ke’Bryan Hayes scored in a collision with catcher Wilson Contreras.

Dodgers 10, Reds 5: Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs, leading Clayton Kershaw and Los Angeles at Cincinnati.

Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Will Smith and Justin Turner also homered for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who outscored the Reds 52-18 in winning all seven games against them this year.

Brewers 6, Cardinals Tyrone Taylor hit a three-run homer, Willy Adames added a solo shot and host Milwaukee beat St. Louis to split a fourgame series.

The Brewers, who have won five of seven, moved back into a first-place tie with the Cardinals atop the NL Central.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Mariners 2, Athletics 1: Frankie Montas took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, but reliever A.J. Puk threw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches with two outs in the ninth that gave visiting Seattle a win over Oakland.

The Mariners loaded the bases with three walks and rallied on Puk’s wayward tosses to complete a threegame sweep.

Montas didn’t allow a hit until Adam Frazier lined a clean single to left field with two outs in the eighth. Montas gave up another hit and was pulled after the inning.

Montas struck out eight in a season-high eight innings, and exited with a 1-0 lead — he has received either one or zero runs of support in 11 of his 15 starts.

Twins 1, Guardians 0: Nick Gordon hit a thirdinning home run that stood up for starter Devin Smeltzer, and host Minnesota cooled off Cleveland to dodge a sweep. Cleveland lost for just the fifth time in its past 22 games.