Swanson's D denies D-backs, seals wild win

PHOENIX -- Nearly three calendar years after the trade, Dansby Swanson created a jaw-dropping defensive gem that demoralized the team that made him the first overall pick and energized the Braves, who are thrilled to have him fueling the postseason push that has energized his hometown.
"When an infielder never stops trying to catch the ball, it's amazing how many balls they can catch," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "He gave every last bit of energy he had to make that play."
Shifted toward third base with a pair of runners in scoring position on Saturday night at Chase Field, Swanson willed himself to range to his left and then dive into the outfield grass to grab A.J. Pollock's two-out grounder. The Braves shortstop then quickly rose, composed himself and made an accurate throw to the plate to end a thrilling 5-4, 10-inning win over the D-backs.
"My thought was get there at all costs," Swanson said. "In that situation, even if you're able to knock it down, it's kind of like a win. You want to keep it in the infield. I was able to glove it cleanly."
Swanson's game-saving stop and game-ending throw to the plate to retire Nick Ahmed allowed the Braves to take advantage of the chance to increase their lead over the second-place Phillies, who sit 3 1/2 games back in the National League East. The D-backs have lost 12 of their past 23 games and are 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Rockies in the NL West.
"I might be 28-years-old with some grey hair right now, but that was an exciting ballgame," Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "That was a big win for us."

With closer A.J. Minter teetering and the Braves looking at the possibility of squandering a lead for the second time in three innings, Pollock delivered a multi-hopper that appeared to be a game-tying two-run single until Swanson made the stop.
"I was just hoping he'd get to it," Freeman said. "I know we shift on Pollock to that hole over there. So, it was just one of those things where I was hoping our defensive shift wasn't going to make that game get tied. I think Dansby had an extra gear and he went for it. He saved the game."

Having practiced this play countless times during his days at Vanderbilt University, Swanson alertly rose to his feet knowing Ahmed was going to try to score what would have been the tying run from second base.
"I feel like there's a certain time when you take a little bit of a risk and there are other times that you don't," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "That may not have been the best time to take that type of risk."
Third-base coach Tony Perezchica took what became an ill-advised risk when Swanson's throw hopped directly to catcher Kurt Suzuki, who had time to position himself and apply the decisive tag on Ahmed.
"That's how I would have played it offensively, thinking you're scoring no matter what," Swanson said. "I don't think anyone anticipated I'd be able to catch it and make a throw like that. I think it was honestly, the right play on both sides.
"My internal clock told me he was going to be going. At the end of the day, if I catch it and throw it and he's still standing on third base, no harm, no foul. I was able to give a good hop to Zuk and he was able to catch it and apply the tag."
It was a fitting ending for Suzuki, whose eighth-inning go-ahead homer allowed him to begin making amends for a dropped a throw that allowed the D-backs to tally a run in the first, which was tarnished by two walks issued by Julio Teheran, who settled in and allowed just two runs over six strong innings.

"Dansby made a heck of a play, put it right on the money and I caught this one," Suzuki said with a smile.
Freeman scored the go-ahead run in the 10th moments after nearly being picked off, but the decisive hit was the one-out triple recorded by Ender Inciarte, who came to Atlanta with Swanson in the trade package the D-backs used to acquire Shelby Miller after the 2015 season.

The fact he and Inciarte played a key role in this win was not lost on Swanson, who was taken by the D-backs with the first overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft.
"I think that will always be attached to both of us," Swanson said. "Just to make a play like that, I'd be excited regardless of who we were playing. But at times, it can feel a little extra sweet. The sweetest part about it is we won."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Having already heard Paul Goldschmidt playfully say the word earlier in the game, Freeman already thought the D-backs first baseman had picked up on the verbal steal sign Braves first-base coach Eric Young used just before Freeman took off for second base as Andrew Chafin threw to first with a pickoff attempt in the 10th.
With no choice but to continue going, Freeman ran directly toward Ahmed, knowing his large frame would add to the degree of difficulty for Goldschmidt, whose throw went just high and wide enough for the Braves first baseman to slide in ahead of the tag. Freeman scored moments later when Chaffin stumbled while attempting to cover first base on Nick Markakis' slow roller.
"That was my whole intent, to create a lane where he couldn't throw," Freeman said. "I made him throw over my head. Luckily, my foot stayed down on the slide."

Markakis, who had a sacrifice fly in the two-run first produced against Clay Buchholz, scored on the one-out triple delivered by Inciarte.
WELCOME BACK
With just six career appearances under his belt and just a few hours removed from being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, Chad Sobotka entered with two on and two outs in the ninth. Swanson had just covered Johan Camargo's throwing error by denying Pollock's attempt to score on David Peralta's sharp grounder against a drawn-in infield.
Sobotka threw three pitches to Goldschmidt before Snitker called for the MVP candidate to be intentionally walked with runners at first and second base. The unusual, but wise move worked when Inciarte displayed his Gold Glove skills by securing Descalso's two-out, 101.4-mph liner that had a 91 percent hit probability, per Statcast™. Descalso had tied the game in the eighth when he dented the center-field wall with a two-out double off Dan Winkler.
"I haven't been a manager for very long, but [Goldschmidt] is the first guy that is that good [to intentional walk without first base open]," Snitker said. "He's so locked in right now. He's sitting on [pitches]. That's why he's in the MVP discussion."

HE SAID IT
"It's going to take a great play, and [Swanson] made a great play. If it trickles one foot or two, it may not be that close of a play at the plate." - Perezchica, on his decision to wave home Ahmed
"At this point of the year, every game feels like it's significant. I think each day, you kind of learn more and more about coming down the stretch and how you play these games. You can see the length in which these games are played. Everything is a lot more careful and there is a lot more attention to detail at every point because every play in a game is a really big moment." -- Swanson
UP NEXT
Touki Toussaint will make his third career start when the Braves and D-backs conclude their four-game series Sunday at 4:10 p.m. ET. Ranked baseball's 74th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, Toussaint was drafted by Arizona with the 16th pick in the 2014 Draft and then traded to Atlanta the following year. He limited the Marlins to one run over six innings during his Major League debut on Aug. 13. He kept the Red Sox hitless before surrendering four hits during a three-run fifth on Monday.