Walt Weiss Made Brilliant Call With Mauricio Dubón in Braves Win

The Atlanta Braves' manager put a familiar face at key positions in the lineup and in the field, setting them up for a win over the Dodgers

Dubón immediately flourished back in the shortstop role | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For at least one night, the Atlanta Braves could relax knowing they got production from their shortstop. Manager Walt Weiss was so sure that Mauricio Dubón would deliver that he placed him in the cleanup spot.

"Yeah, you know, it's not the prototypical cleanup guy, but it's - the thing I like it high contact" Weiss said before the game. "And he's swinging the bat well, and he's been one of our best hitters with runners in scoring position."

It was the third time overall that Dubón has been placed in one of the most crucial spots in the order this season. He's experienced success when given the chance. When the offense has struggled lately, might as well give it a go.

Sure enough, Weiss got exactly what he had banked on. Dubón opened scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI single, scoring Drake Baldwin with one out. In the bottom of the eighth, he helped produce a run by moving Mattt Olson to third base by pulling back a bunt attempt late and taking a contact swing.

The barrel of bat split cleanly in two, but the runner was 90 feet away from scoring, and Ozzie Albies later drove Olson in with two outs. The Braves went on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3.

If you look at just the box score, you won't get the full context. He didn't tally the most hits or reach base the most. He didn't drive in the most runs. Yet, this team doesn't win without their shortstop batting cleanup. Keep in mind, too, that where he was placed into the lineup also allowed him to be in the right place at the right time.

Beyond that he capped things off with a clutch play on defense. He helped nab a tough second out in the top of the ninth to help work around a lead-off triple from Shohei Ohtani.

Weiss' timing to put him back at shortstop, likely for the long haul, again, put him in the right place at the right time.

For the first time in what feels like some time, the Braves got the most of what they could from the shortstop position. With a month left in the season, there is a lot of time to have to prove that this switch will have a lasting impact.

But credit where it's due for Tuesday night. It was a couple chess moves that put the Dodgers in check early and later to mate.

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