ATLANTA - After a slow start to the season, Alanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson is sizzling at the plate.
His team is following suit when it comes to rapidly changing fortunes.
Swanson hit two home runs, and Atlanta built a big lead early in Thursday afternoon's game before holding off the San Francisco Giants, 7-6, for its 18th win in 21 games this month.
"It's definitely been a good one," said Swanson, who's hitting .385 over his past 30 games to boost his average to .302. "I've been working to keep things simple. Most people have gotten to know me pretty good around here, and everything I do is with the mindset to win games. I'm just going to continue with that and put us in a position to be successful."
Swanson, who homered to begin a three-run rally in the ninth inning for a 4-3 win Wednesday night, had three hits and drove in three runs Thursday as Atlanta closed out its four-game series against San Francisco (38-31) with a third win against the Giants.
Swanson hit a leadoff home run in the first inning and connected again in the fourth, his 12th homer this year, for a 7-1 lead. It was the seventh multihomer game of the 28-year-old's MLB career but his first since Aug. 14, 2021, against the host Washington Nationals.
Travis d'Arnaud hit a two-run single in a five-run second inning as Atlanta tagged Alex Wood (5-6), the former University of Georgia player who began his MLB career with the Braves a decade ago.
The reigning World Series champions moved 11 games over .500 for the first time this season. The Braves (41-30) have won 10 of their past 11 home games, outscoring the opposition 67-39 and hitting 26 homers to opponents' 12 at Truist Park during that stretch.
Atlanta, the four-time reigning champion in the National League East Division, closed within four games of the first-place New York Mets, who did not play Wednesday.
"There's a lot of confidence flowing," Swanson said. "I feel like we've done a really good job of staying true to ourselves and kind of finding our identity as a team.
"We're starting to find our groove, and I feel like a lot of guys on our team are starting to find themselves as well. You put that together, and it's a powerful thing."
San Francisco, which grounded into four double plays in the first four innings, has dropped four of its past five games. The Giants entered Atlanta off consecutive series victories against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates.
"It felt like we were an inning short," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. "They made one more pitch, made one more play, advanced one more base than we did. I personally don't take a lot satisfaction in being close in games."
Atlanta starter Kyle Wright (8-4) allowed 10 hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Wright got Evan Longoria to ground into a double play with the bases loaded to end the first. He gave up an RBI single to Curt Casali in the second and a homer to Austin Slater that made it 7-2.
Tommy La Stella hit an RBI double as the Giants scored twice in the sixth and chased Wright. Jesse Chavez relieved and walked pinch-hitter Brandon Belt to load the bases before Mike Yastrzemski struck out for the fourth time in the game to end the threat.
Will Smith gave up Slater's RBI single in the eighth to make it 7-5.
Kenley Jansen recorded his 19th save in 22 chances and the 369th of his career to pass Jonathan Papelbon for 10th place on the MLB career list. Joc Pederson, who played for the Braves last year, hit his 16th home run of 2021, sending a two-out drive into the second deck of the Chop House restaurant in right field.
Atlanta won the series opener 2-1 then lost 12-10 on Tuesday before posting the back-to-back one-run wins.
"All four games could've went either way for either team," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "It's good - a big series win."
Wood (5-6) was charged with four hits and six runs after pitching one inning and retiring none of the six batters he faced in the second. Wood, who recorded his 1,000th career strikeout when d'Arnaud whiffed, began the game 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA in three career starts at Truist Park.
This was the second-shortest start of Wood's career. The shortest came July 9, 2015, when he pitched for Atlanta and sustained an injury after two pitches at Colorado.
"These guys have been grinding. We've had a brutal travel schedule, and these guys have been playing their butts off and for me to go out there and do that is really deflating," he said. "That's the way it goes sometimes. I'll just get back on the horse and get ready for the next one."
Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and third baseman Austin Riley each had a scheduled day off.
Next up in Atlanta's homestand is a three-game series against the Dodgers, who won two of three against the Braves in Los Angeles in April. It's a rematch of the past two NL Championship Series, and this meeting will bring former Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman back to Truist Park for the first time since he signed with the Dodgers in March.
Atlanta will start right-hander Ian Anderson (6-3, 4.53 ERA) in Friday night's opener, with the Dodgers giving the ball to left-hander Julio Urías (4-6, 2.56).