Maybe Mets center fielder Curtis Granderson hasn’t watched Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson very closely this season. Those who have observed Swanson know that, for better or worse, the rookie always is eager to go for a double on hits to the shallow outfield.
Swanson’s extra-base instinct paid off for him in the ninth inning against the Mets on Friday at SunPark.
Swanson hit a ball through the middle of the infield, saw that Granderson was slow to get to it, and then accelerated around first base to take second base. Swanson's stretched-out double was followed by fellow rookie Rio Ruiz's game-ending RBI single for a 3-2 victory.
“He’s a kid that comes out of the box looking for two,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s done it before. You know what? That’s a baseball player. That’s why we love that kid like we do because he never stops playing the game.”
Swanson was about three-fourths of the way to first base when he n noticed that Granderson was moving slowly to get the ball. The center fielder was looking down at the ball instead of keeping his eye on Swanson, who took off.
Sometimes Swanson runs into outs because of his eagerness to take two bases but this time he set up the game-winning RBI.
“Someone always says, ‘Just make them stop you,’” Swanson said. “I just kept going, didn’t hesitate. I just thought that was the right thing to do. It worked out. Any way to get into scoring position. If you can put yourself in position to win a game, try to take advantage of that.”
It was the third impact play by Swanson in the game.
He put the Braves ahead with a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning after the Mets had intentionally walked Danny Santana to get to him. The Mets tied the game in the top of the seventh on Travis d’Arnaud’s solo homer.
Swanson ended the Mets’ eighth with a superlative play. He went deep in the hole to make a sliding snag of Wilmer Flores’ ground ball and then threw to first baseman Matt Adams for the out.
“It’s something I’ve liked doing since I was a little kid, like going into the hole and sliding on your knees and stuff,” Swanson said. “It’s just how I reacted.”
In addition to the two doubles, Swanson drew a walk in the second inning. After he went 2-for-29 to end May, Swanson is hitting .407 (11-for-27) in eight June games.
Swanson now is hitting .215 on the season, his highest average since he went 1-for-4 on opening day.
“He could have cashed his chips in a long time and he just keeps working and keeps believing in himself,” Snitker said.
