The Atlanta Braves remain one win away from capturing the franchise’s first championship since 1995, and en route to reaching that point, Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler joined former Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager in World Series history.
Swanson and Soler became the third set of teammates to hit game-tying and go-ahead back-to-back home runs in the World Series, as Guerrero and Yeager were last to do so in 1981. The group also includes former New York Yankees sluggers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig accomplishing the feat in the 1928 World Series.
However, Swanson and Soler are the only duo to combine for back-to-back homers as the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup.
Their heroics came in the seventh inning of Game 4 against the Houston Astros. It provided the Braves with a decided advantage for the night and a once-commanding series lead. Atlanta was unable to close out the Astros in Game 5, and now return to Minute Maid Park.
Coincidentally, Guerrero and Yeager also hit their back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning, though they came in Game 5 against the New York Yankees. The 2-1 victory put the Dodgers one win away from their first World Series title since 1965.
Remembering ’81 Dodgers
While the 1988 Dodgers have long held a special affinity in franchise lore, the 1981 club overcame their own odds to capture a championship during a strike-shortened season.
The season famously began with Fernando Valenzuela needing to start on Opening Day, which of course spawned ‘Fernandomania.’
The 1981 Dodgers also featured “The Longest Running Infield” of All-Stars Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russel and Ron Cey, who played together for more than eight seasons.
The Dodgers went 36-21 in the first half, but were just one game over .500 in the second half at 27-26. Nevertheless, it was good for the second-best record in the West and amounted to a National League Division Series matchup with the Astros.
L.A. won the series in five games, then staved off elimination against the Montreal Expos in the NL Championship Series to win that in five games as well. The Dodgers rode their momentum to defeat the Yankees in the World Series in six games.
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