ARLINGTON, Texas – The first showdown between players of the same name in postseason history turned out to be remarkably significant.
Perhaps enough to turn the tide in this National League Championship Series.
In a five-game battle by Will Smiths, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ version put together a remarkable attack against its Atlanta Braves counterpart, falling into a two-hit hole before chasing a full-count fastball left struck field seats at Globe Life Field, a critical three-way home run for a club battling elimination.
It turned a Dodgers deficit in one run into a 4-2 lead to sixth in Game 5, with the Braves having a 3-1 NLCS lead.
The Dodgers would take a 7-3 win and force the sixth game on Saturday afternoon.
“That was a great AB,” said Dodger’s shortstop Corey Seager, who completed two home runs, of Smith’s playful home run. “He’s been fighting his ass the whole time, getting a ball down and away and putting a great swing on it.”
Smith, the sophomore year catcher of the Dodgers, and Smith, his first year in the Braves bullpen, had met before. The left-hander had gotten closer to the San Francisco Giants last season, and on September 7, 2019, he faced the then rookie catcher of the Dodgers in the ninth of a 5-4 game with two outs.
Smith, the pitcher, prevailed, knocking out his younger counterpart to end the game.
Seemed like a pretty big place for a quiz question. Then came Friday night.
“I’ll always bet on our Will Smith,” quipped Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
With both teams committed to bullpen games, Smith expected to get in early and he was called on the sixth with two outs to specifically retract left thug Max Muncy.
But Smith tossed Muncy three balls in a row, fighting to the full count before going to Muncy, whose bat never left his shoulder.
In simpler times it could have been the pitcher for Smith. But the new three-club minimum required by the Smith-Smith matchup was carried out, and history was made.
Not that Friday’s hero pulled the bait on the weirdness of it all.
“Who knows? It’s a name that’s common enough,” he said.
I can’t imagine what Act III will bring.
