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A16 sports
Friday 24 June 2022
Swanson homers twice, Braves hold on to beat Giants 7-6

By GEORGE HENRY scored twice in the sixth
AP Sports Writer and chased Wright. Jes-
ATLANTA (AP) — After a se Chavez relieved and
slow start to the season, walked pinch-hitter Bran-
Braves shortstop Dan- don Belt to load the bases
sby Swanson has turned it before Mike Yastrzem-
around and is sizzling at the ski struck out for the fourth
plate. time to end the threat.
His team is following suit. Will Smith gave up Slater’s
Swanson hit two home runs RBI single in the eighth to
and the Atlanta Braves make it 7-5.
built a big lead early be- Kenley Jansen recorded
fore holding off the San his 19th save in 22 chances
Francisco Giants 7-6 Thurs- and the 369th of his career
day for their 18th win in 21 to pass Jonathan Papelbon
games this month. for 10th place on the ca-
“It’s definitely been a good reer list. Joc Pederson, who
one,” said Swanson, who’s played for the Braves last
hitting .385 over his last 30 year, hit his 16th home run,
games to boost his aver- sending a two-out drive
age to .302. “I’ve been into the second deck of the
working to keep things Chop House restaurant in
simple. Most people have right field. Wood (5-6) was
gotten to know me pretty Atlanta Braves’ Dansby Swanson is hit by a pitch, which brings in a run, in the second inning of a charged with four hits and
good around here, and baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Thursday, June 23, 2022, in Atlanta. six runs after pitching one
Associated Press
everything I do is with the inning and retiring none of
mindset to win games. I’m drove in three runs. two-run single in a five-run the opposition 67-39 and the six batters he faced in
just going to continue with He hit a leadoff home run second inning as the Braves hitting 26 homers to oppo- the second. Wood, who re-
that and put us in a position in the first and connected tagged Alex Wood (5-6). nents’ 12. corded his 1,000th career
to be successful.” again in the fourth, his 12th, The defending World Series Atlanta closed within four strikeout when d’Arnaud
Swanson, who homered for a 7-1 lead. It was his champion Braves moved games of the New York whiffed, began the game
to begin a three-run rally seventh career multihom- 11 games over .500 for the Mets in the NL East. 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA in three
in the ninth inning for a 4-3 er game, the last coming first time this season. They “There’s a lot of confi- career starts at Truist Park.
win over the Giants a night Aug. 14, 2021, at Washing- have won 10 of their last 11 dence flowing,” Swanson This was the second-short-
earlier, had three hits and ton. Travis d’Arnaud hit a home games, outscoring said. “I feel like we’ve done est start of Wood’s career.
a really good job of staying The shortest came July 9,
true to ourselves and kind 2015, at Colorado when
CCCCCCCC BCCB CC ACAAC of finding our identity as a he pitched for Atlanta and
team. sustained an injury after
“We’re starting to find our two pitches.
groove, and I feel like a lot “These guys have been
of guys on our team are grinding. We’ve had a
starting to find themselves brutal travel schedule and
as well. You put that to- these guys have been
gether, and it’s a powerful playing their butts off and
thing,” he said. for me to go out there and
San Francisco, which do that is really deflating,”
grounded into four double he said.
plays in the first four innings, “That’s the way it goes
has dropped four of five. sometimes. I’ll just get back
“It felt like we were an in- on the horse and get ready
ning short,” Giants manag- for the next one.”
er Gabe Kapler said. “They DODGERS 10, REDS 5
made one more pitch, CINCINNATI (AP) — Fred-
made one more play, ad- die Freeman homered and
vanced one more base drove in three runs, leading
than we did. I personally Clayton Kershaw and Los
don’t take a lot satisfaction Angeles past Cincinnati.
in being close in games.” Cody Bellinger, Max Mun-
Atlanta starter Kyle Wright cy, Will Smith and Justin
(8-4) allowed 10 hits and Turner also homered for the
four runs in 5 1/3 innings. NL West-leading Dodgers,
Wright got Evan Longoria who outscored the Reds
to ground into a double 52-18 in winning all seven
play with the bases loaded games against them this
to end the first. He gave up year.
an RBI single to Curt Casali The Dodgers now travel to
in the second and a homer Atlanta, where Freeman
to Austin Slater that made was the longtime face of
it 7-2. the franchise and helped
Tommy La Stella hit an the Braves win the World
RBI double as the Giants Series last year.q