Field Level Media
Jul 31, 2021
Dansby Swanson hit a pair of homers -- including a grand slam -- and drove in seven runs to lead the Atlanta Braves to an 8-1 win over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.
Swanson was 3-for-4 and tied the franchise's single-season record for home runs (20) by a shortstop, matching the mark set by Denis Menke in 1964. He also scored two runs and started a pair of double plays.
Swanson's first homer, a two-run shot off Brandon Woodruff, came in the sixth inning. The second home run, which bounced off the left-field foul pole, came against reliever John Curtiss with the bases loaded in the seventh. It was his second multi-home run game of the season and second career grand slam.
The loss ended Milwaukee's four-game winning streak and halted the Brewers' eight-game road winning streak, the team's longest stretch since 2008.
Atlanta starter Kyle Muller pitched five innings and allowed one run on four hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. He has allowed just two runs over 14 innings in his last three starts.
The Atlanta bullpen put together four scoreless innings, one each from winning pitcher Jesse Chavez (2-2), Tyler Matzek, Richard Rodriguez (in his Braves debut) and Will Smith.
Woodruff (7-6) threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Woodruff surrendered a homer for the first time since June 23, a span of five starts.
Newly acquired relievers Daniel Norris and Curtiss made their Milwaukee debuts with different outcomes. Norris looked sharp in pitching 2/3 of an inning, but Curtiss was victimized for five runs in 2/3 of an inning.
The Brewers scored first in the second inning, getting a run when Avisail Garcia scored on Manny Pina's infield grounder.
The Braves tied the game in the fourth inning on Swanson's RBI single that drove in Austin Riley.
Jorge Soler made his Atlanta debut on Saturday. He started in right field, went 3-for-4 and drove in a run with an infield single in the seventh.
Riley was 0-for-3, ending his nine-game hitting streak. He walked twice and scored twice.
--Field Level Media