Unlikely hero, 2 HRs carry Braves to brink of Series title

ATLANTA (AP) — This Atlanta Braves team couldn't have picked a more fitting way to move to the brink of a World Series championship.

A pitcher who spent most of the year in the minors kept 'em in it.

A slugger who came in a flurry of trades won it for 'em.

If this gritty bunch can do it one more time, the Braves will have their first Series title in 26 years.

Dansby Swanson and pinch-hitter Jorge Soler connected for back-to-back homers in the seventh inning Saturday night, propelling the Braves to a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros and a commanding 3-1 Series lead.

Game 5 is Sunday night. The Braves can wrap up the championship on their home field, just as they did two stadiums ago when they beat the Cleveland Indians in 1995.

They've sure been tough at home, improving to 7-0 this postseason.

“It’s just such a cool moment for this city," Swanson said. “But we’ve got one more. They’ve got a great ballclub over there and we can’t take anything for granted.”

That triumph more than a quarter-century ago at the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium remains the franchise's only World Series crown since moving to the Deep South in 1966.

This is the closest the Braves have been to a second title since then.

What an improbable crown it would be.

The Braves stumbled along at .500 or worse until Aug. 6. They had to rebuild their entire outfield before the July 30 trade deadline after Ronald Acuña Jr. went down with a knee injury and Marcell Ozuna was sidelined by a hand injury and legal troubles. They won the NL East with just 88 wins, the fewest of any playoff team — and less even than two teams that didn't make the postseason.

With former president Donald Trump watching from a private box down the right-field line, the Braves...

source https://www.chron.com/news/article/Unlikely-hero-2-HRs-carry-Braves-to-brink-of-16578344.php