The 117th World Series: Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves
THE FALL CLASSIC AT 3-1
• This marks the 49th time that the World Series stands at 3-1. Of the previous 48 times, the team leading 3-1 has won the series 41 times (85.4%), and they have won Game 5 on 27 occasions (56.3%).
• The seven teams that came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series include the 2016 Cubs; 1985 Royals; 1979 Pirates; 1968 Tigers; 1958 Yankees; 1925 Pirates; and the 1903 Pilgrims (best-of-9). • Of those seven, the 2016 Cubs, 1979 Pirates, 1968 Tigers and 1958 Yankees all had to win Game 5 at home followed by Games 6 and 7 on the road.
GAME 4 RESULTS
• The Braves are now 6-4 all-time in Game 4 of the World Series (1999-New York Yankees; 1996-New York Yankees; 1995-Cleveland Indians; 1992-Toronto Blue Jays; 1991 Minnesota Twins; 1958-New York Yankees; 1957-New York Yankees; 1948-Cleveland Indians; 1914-Philadelphia Athletics). They are now 3-0 this Postseason in Game 4s, previously defeating the Dodgers in the NLCS and the Brewers in the NLDS.
• The Astros are now 1-3 all-time in Game 4 of the World Series (2019-Washington Nationals; 2017-Los Angeles Dodgers; and 2005-Chicago White Sox). They are now 2-1 this year in Game 4s, previously defeating the White Sox in the ALDS and the Boston Red Sox n the ALCS.
BRAVES AT 3-1
• The Braves find themselves leading a World Series 3-1 for the third time in Club history. They will look to replicate their effort from 1995 when they lost Game 5 but defeated the Indians over six games. The Braves lost to the Yankees across seven games in 1958.
ASTROS AT 1-3
• The Astros find themselves down 1-3 in a World Series for the first time in franchise history.
BACK-TO-BACK
• Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler clubbed back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning tonight to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. It was the second time this Postseason that the Braves went back-to-back (also NLCS G4).
• It was the first time in Braves World Series history and the 17th time in MLB World Series history that back-to-back homers were struck, and the first since Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa did so for the Astros in Game 2 of the 2017 Fall Classic.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the third instance of game-tying and go-ahead back-to-back home runs in the World Series, previously done by Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (1928 G4) and Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager (1981 G5). Also per Elias, they became the first eight and nine hitters to ever hit back-to-back homers in a Fall Classic game.
DANSBY
• Dansby Swanson became the second Braves shortstop to club a home run in a Fall Classic game, joining Johnny Logan, who did so for the Milwaukee Braves in Game 2 of the 1957 World Series.
• It was the third game-tying round-tripper in Braves World Series history, previously accomplished by Lonne Smith (1991 G4) and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron (1957 G6).
SOLER
• Jorge Soler became the second player in Braves World Series history to club a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning-or-later, joining Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews, who launched a walk-off homer for the Milwaukee Braves in Game 4 of the 1957 World Series.
• Soler’s homer was the fourth pinch-hit home run to put his team ahead in a World Series game in MLB history, previously accomplished by Ed Sprague (1992 G2), Kirk Gibson (1988 G1) and Dusty Rhodes (1954 G1). Game 4 Postgame Notes – Saturday, October 30, 2021
EDDIE
• Eddie Rosario logged a pair of hits tonight and now has 23 this Postseason. That’s tied with Marquis Grissom (1996) for second-most in a single Postseason by a Braves player, trailing only Grisson’s 25 hits in 1995.
• Rosario’s 23 hits this Postseason are third-most by a left-handed batter in a single Postseason, and trails Darin Erstad (25, 2002) and Tino Martinez (24, 2000).
RILEY
• Austin Riley registered his 12thcareer Postseason RBI tonight. That’s third-most by a Braves player prior to turning 25-yearsold, trailing only A. Jones (20) and C. Jones (17).
MATZEK
• Tyler Matzek made his 12th appearance of the 2021 Postseason for the Braves tonight. He surpassed Mark Wohlers (1995) and has now made the most outings in single Postseason in Braves franchise history.
SMITH
• Will Smith converted his second World Series save and his sixth career Postseason save. That’s second-most in Braves Postseason history, trailing only Mark Wohlers (9).
ALTUVE
• Altuve clubbed his 23rd career Postseason home run, second-most in MLB Postseason history behind only Manny Ramirez (29). It was also his 38th career Postseason extra-base hit, tied for fifth-most in Postseason history with Albert Pujols, and trails Hall of Famer Derek Jeter (57), Bernie Williams (51), Ramirez (48) and David Ortiz (41).
GREINKE AT THE PLATE
• Houston’s starting pitcher Zack Greinke began the game batting eighth tonight. It marked just the second time in World Series history that a starting pitcher did not bat ninth, previously accomplished by Hall of Famer Babe Ruth in Game 4 of the 1918 Fall Classic.
• Greinke logged a hit in his first at-bat, becoming the first pitcher to record a hit in a World Series game since Corey Kluber in Game 4 of the 2016 Fall Classic.
GREINKE ON THE MOUND
• Zack Greinke tossed 4.0 shutout innings with three strikeouts while allowing four hits and not issuing a free pass. He became the fourth pitcher in Astros Postseason history to deliver at least 4.0 shutout innings while not permitting a walk, joining Lance McCullers Jr. (2021 ALDS G1), José Urquidy (2019 WS G4) and Brandon Backe (2005 WS G4).
TUCKER
• Kyle Tucker tallied a pair of hits and stolen base in tonight’s contest. He now has seven extra-base hits, five stolen bases and 15 RBI this Postseason (14 games). Tucker became the second player in MLB Postseason history to reach those totals-or-better across 14 games in a single Postseason, joining B.J. Upton (2008).
• His five stolen bases are second-most in Astros Postseason history, trailing only Carlos Beltrán’s six stolen bases in 2004.
CORREA
• Carlos Correa notched a first-inning RBI, his 57th career Postseason RBI. He ranks sixth all-time in MLB Postseason history in RBI, trailing Bernie Williams (80), Manny Ramirez (78), David Justice (63), Hall of Famer Derek Jeter (61) and David Ortiz (61).
SCORE FIRST
• The Astros plated a first-inning run for the first run of tonight’s contest. With Houston’s loss, teams scoring first in the 2021 Postseason are now 27-8.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• The Braves are now 7-0 at home this Postseason. That’s the second-longest such Postseason streak in franchise history, trailing an eight-game run from October 7, 1995-October 9, 1996.
