Dodgers’ Will Smith takes Braves’ Will Smith deep to keep LA alive in NLCS
The 2020 National League Championship Series lives to see another day.
Credit Will Smith if you’re a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Blame Will Smith if you’re a fan of the Atlanta Braves. And, no, we’re not talking about the famous Hollywood actor.
Will Smith, a catcher for the Dodgers, delivered the go-ahead hit with a three-run home run in the sixth inning off Braves reliever Will Smith. That gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead, something they wouldn’t surrender in a 7-3 victory on Friday night at Globe Life Field.
The Dodgers extended the best-of-seven series to a Game 6 on Saturday. The Braves lead the series 3-2 with a chance to clinch a World Series berth once again. Max Fried starts for the Braves, while Walker Buehler will start for the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 3:38 p.m.
A Game 7, if necessary, would be played Sunday night.
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager had two home runs in Game 5, including a two-run shot in the seventh that made it a 7-2 game. Seager has been red-hot in the series with eight hits, including six extra-base hits and four home runs.
Atlanta scored a single run in the eighth, but never threatened late. The Braves had what appeared to be the makings of a promising night early on.
A.J. Minter, the East Texas native and Texas A&M product, served as Atlanta’s “opener” and turned in a historic performance with seven strikeouts over three scoreless innings. The Braves took an early 2-0 lead, too, through two innings.
But the Dodgers’ offense eventually came to life in the fourth inning with a solo shot by Seager and then the three-run blast by Will Smith off Will Smith in the sixth.
It’s the first time two players with the same name faced each other in the postseason.
It was the first postseason home run for the Dodgers’ Will Smith. He hit eight home runs in the regular season.
The Braves’ Will Smith had not allowed a home run in eight postseason appearances going into the game.
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 11:54 PM.
