Dansby Swanson’s career-best 7 RBIs lead Braves to win

“I thought it was a strike,” Swanson said, laughing. “I think everybody else did, too. I’ll definitely be honest about that. My momma would come in here and whoop me if I wasn’t being honest. He made a good pitch, it happened to go in my favor, I regrouped and put a good swing on the next one.”

Swanson wasn’t finished. He blasted a grand slam off the left foul pole in the seventh. Swanson finished with three hits, including two homers, and a career-high seven RBIs. It was Swanson’s second career grand slam – he hit his first July 22 against the Phillies.

“It makes me feel like a kid again, to be honest,” Swanson said. “I’m just so thankful to be here. Thankful to be in the position I’m in. The good Lord has blessed me with so much. I’m grateful. I’d never hit a grand slam in my baseball life. To have two in 10 days is pretty special.”

In his past 23 games, Swanson has hit .323/.376/.656. He raised his average from .226 to .249. Swanson was hitting seventh in the order Saturday - that’s one way to lengthen the lineup.

2. Swanson hit seven home runs in July. He has 20 on the season, tying the franchise record for most in a single season by a shortstop. Denis Menke hit 20 for the Milwaukee Braves in 1964.

3. The Braves’ offense scored three runs on eight hits against Woodruff after finding success against Corbin Burnes, another Brewers ace, on Friday. In total against Woodruff and Burnes, the Braves scored eight runs on 17 hits (two homers) over 9-1/3 innings.

Burnes’ ERA leaped from 2.12 to 2.46. Woodruff’s ERA increased from 2.14 to 2.26.

4. Kyle Muller has accepted every challenge at the major-league level, from going against Mets ace Jacob deGrom in his debut to facing potent lineups like Cincinnati and San Diego. This time, he matched Woodruff.

Muller allowed one run on four hits over five innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Muller owns a 2.43 ERA across his first seven games. He has a 1.88 ERA in six starts.

“That’s exactly what I wanted to do, get my opportunity and run with it,” Muller said. “I feel like I’ve done a pretty decent job with that, but it can still get better.”

5. Outfielder Jorge Soler, acquired from the Royals at Friday’s trade deadline, started in right field and hit fifth in his Braves debut. He went 3-for-4, earning his 500th career hit in the fourth inning and an infield RBI single in the seventh. Soler had four three-hit games with the Royals this season.

“I thought he had some great at-bats,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I dive into his numbers, they’re not great this year. He’d been swinging the bat well prior to coming here (though). I thought he had some really good at-bats off a tough pitcher. I was really encouraged today by his at-bats.”

Snitker added he thought Soler was OK in right field. “He’s not going to win a Gold Glove. But I think in our ballpark, and we do a really good job with our outfield positioning. He’s fine.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Reliever Richard Rodriguez, acquired from the Pirates on Friday, made his Braves debut in the eighth. After two of the first three Brewers singled, Rodriguez drew a double play from Luis Urias to end the inning.

Stat to know

20 (Swanson’s 20 homers tie the franchise record for most in a single season by a shortstop. He has 57 games to break the record.)

Quotable

“It kind of feels like spring training. You’re meeting new faces. I introduced myself to Jorge Soler after he made that catch the first pitch of the game. I said, ‘Hey man, thanks for the catch. My name is Kyle, nice to meet you.’” - Muller

Up next

Braves right-hander Charlie Morton (10-3, 3.72) starts the series finale Sunday against Brewers lefty Brett Anderson (3-5, 3.86).