Baseball Update and Notes

Both LCS were extended yesterday, one in historic fashion as the Houston Astros joined the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who went on to not only win game 7, but sweep the subsequent World Series, for the franchise’s first title in 86 years, as the only baseball teams to force a game 7 in a series they trailed 3 games to none.

Tonight in #7 San Diego in front of cardboard fans, two hurlers that combined in both Astros’ game 7 wins as they won their lone title in 2017, Lance Mc Cullers Jr. for Houston and Charlie Morton for Tampa Bay (Rays) are the starting pitchers, with much bullpen work expected.

Astros’ manager Dusty Baker, so often denied as he still is seeking a first managerial World Series win and bidding with a (29-31) team did win a title as a player in the strike marred 1981 season.

Then Baker’s Dodgers faced elimination 5 times, 3 times in non decisive games and that is the same number of non decisive games Baker’s Astros have won so far in these ‘offs. Tonight is the decisive 7th game, with the winning team moving into the World Series, which starts Tuesday night in Arlington or near it, Texas.

Their opponent is still undecided as yesterday the Dodgers’ Will Smith hit a 3 run home run vs the Braves’ Will Smith, in the first such “confrontation” in post-season annals, keeping the top ranked Dodgers’ hopes alive.

Atlanta (Braves) still lead the NLCS, 3 games to 2. Yesterday’s game was the 10th in a Braves’ series that stood 3 games to 1 either way. In the first 8 (1948 World Series, 1958 World Series, 1992 NLCS, 1992 World Series, 1995 World Series, 1996 NLCS, 1998 NLCS and 1999 NLCS) the team trailing (3-1) won game 5. The trailing Dodgers’ win yesterday made it 9 of 10.

In 2001, the lone time it happened, the Arizona Diamondbacks wrapped up the NLCS vs the Braves with a game 5 win.

Another Will Smith, an actor, who portrayed sports great and then quite a bit more, Muhammad Ali in what is a fine acting career, is pictured above.

Also, let’s cite William Smith, who portrayed the villain type, “Falconetti” in the great mini-series “Rich Man Poor Man,” based on the Irwin Shaw novel, that among other things, foresaw malls and associated demographics.