Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts joined previous skippers Tommy Lasorda and Joe Torre in guiding the team to the National League Championship Series in his first two years at the helm. Roberts is looking to lead the Dodgers to their first World Series since Lasorda’s team in 1988.
Lasorda and several of the Dodgers’ former players have been on hand throughout the postseason, and in particular during the World Series. The trip to the Fall Classic is a first for the organization in 29 years.
After the Dodgers clinched a fifth consecutive NL West title, Lasorda predicted they would win the World Series. Following a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series, Sandy Koufx expressed confidence the Dodgers would play for the championship.
Los Angeles is now one win away from validating Lasorda’s prediction. They checked off the first box by defeating the Houston Astros on Tuesday night to force a deciding Game 7.
While there was jubilation with extending the World Series, Lasorda was quick to remind Roberts the job is hardly complete:
Tommy Lasorda tells Dave Roberts "You haven't done s*** until you win tomorrow" pic.twitter.com/CeLL9ZOVR8
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) November 1, 2017
Prior to the Dodgers, nine of the the past 11 teams that returned home while trailing three games to two in the World Series forced a Game 7. Of of the nine teams, eight went on to win the Fall Classic.
Furthermore, there have been 20 teams to overcome a 3-2 deficit in the World Series, with 14 doing so by winning Games 6 and 7 at home.
