ARLINGTON, Texas — One Will Smith outdid one other Will Smith to maintain the season alive for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A typical title, a particular end result for the Dodgers catcher.

Smith hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off the Atlanta Braves reliever with the identical title, Corey Seager homered twice and the Dodgers averted elimination with a 7-Three win in Recreation 5 of the NL Championship Collection on Friday evening.

“I’ll all the time wager on our Will Smith,” Dodges supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.

Smith linked within the sixth towards — of all folks — Will Smith, the fourth of six Braves pitchers of their bullpen evening that began with a few postseason firsts by A.J. Minter.

“For him to come back by way of for us in that spot. I’m blissful to see him expressing himself,” Dodgers proper fielder Mookie Betts mentioned of his teammate who hardly ever exhibits emotion however was clearly pumped up by his huge blast.

Betts received that decisive sixth began with an infield single, and the first-year Dodger and former AL MVP had a operating, shoestring catch in proper subject that became an inning-ending double play. His snag took an Atlanta run off the board after a replay problem proper earlier than Seager’s first homer.

“You’re speaking about momentum shifts, that’s the play of the yr,” Roberts mentioned. “I simply thought there was no method he was going to make that play.”

Recreation 6 is Saturday afternoon, with a pitching rematch from the sequence opener: lefty Max Fried for the Braves and right-hander Walker Buehler for the Dodgers. Each gave up one run in Recreation 1, which Atlanta received 5-1 after a four-run ninth. Atlanta is trying to get into the World Collection for the primary time since 1999.

“I knew it was going to be a extremely arduous sequence, no matter what state of affairs you’re in,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “I really feel good tomorrow with Max on the mound. I really feel actually good with him going on the market. Hopefully we are able to rating a number of runs and assist him and wrap this factor up.”

Blake Treinen, the third of seven Dodgers pitchers and the Recreation 1 loser in reduction, pitched two good innings for the win. Inconsistent nearer Kenley Jansen struck out the facet in a non-save state of affairs to finish it, which Roberts referred to as a spotlight for him.

Betts had a stolen base after his sixth-starting single earlier than Justin Turner’s one-out arduous grounder that received Betts caught in a rundown. The Braves then introduced of their lefty named Will Smith to face left-handed batter Max Muncy, who drew a stroll earlier than the Dodgers’ catcher named Will Smith hit a full-count pitch 404 toes to left-center for a 4-2 lead.

“It received the crew going. that vitality bounces off of one another,” Smith mentioned.

It was the primary time since no less than 1961 {that a} batter homered off a pitcher with the identical title within the common season or postseason, in line with the Elias Sports activities Bureau.

The Dodgers prolonged their lead within the seventh when Chris Taylor hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Betts earlier than Seager hit a ball into LA’s bullpen in right-center.

Seager’s 4 homers and 10 RBIs have already tied NLCS information, with no less than another recreation for the Dodgers to play — two if they need an opportunity to get to the World Collection for the third time in 4 years. The 4 homers are already a report for a shortstop in any postseason sequence.

“Simply type of placing good swings on pitches and every part is type of clicking,” Seager mentioned.

Taylor turned an ankle in left subject throughout the eighth inning however remained within the recreation. Supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned Taylor would get remedy and testing previous to Recreation 6.

Minter struck out seven of the 10 batters he confronted as the primary pitcher in MLB historical past whose first begin got here in a postseason recreation. The fourth-year huge leaguer turned the primary pitcher — starter or reliever — with seven strikeouts in three innings or fewer in a postseason recreation. He had already matched his profession excessive earlier than hanging out the facet — all on referred to as third strikes — within the third earlier than leaving with a 2-Zero lead.

After Marcell Ozuna and Travis d’Arnaud had consecutive singles to start out the third for Atlanta, there was one out when Dansby Swanson hit a sinking liner to proper. Betts made a operating catch, together with his glove skimming the bottom earlier than his throw dwelling was late. However the Dodgers challenged that Ozuna that left third base early — and it turned the Braves third out as an alternative of their third run.

Story continues

“We had been capable of get a cease,” Betts mentioned. “Yesterday we couldn’t cease the bleeding. At this time, we had been capable of get a cease proper there and put some strain on them.”

Umpires and the off-site replay crew wanted practically two minutes to make their ruling, however Dodgers fielders — and even Braves runners — had already left the sector after watching the play on the large video board.

“It’s not all the time on the offensive facet that you just get the spark,” Seager mentioned. “An enormous play in an enormous second you get some vitality.”

Proper after that, Seager’s leadoff homer to straightaway middle within the fourth reduce the Dodgers deficit to 2-1.

Rookie middle fielder Cristian Pache made a leaping strive on the wall, however the ball went simply behind his prolonged glove. However Pache did time issues up within the eighth, robbing Muncy of a homer with a virtually similar play.

The Braves scored in each innings off LA starter Dustin Could. Freddie Freeman doubled, went to 3rd and scored on d’Arnaud’s sacrifice fly within the first, and Pache had an RBI single within the second. D’Arnaud added an RBI groundout within the eighth.

CATCHER COMEBACK

Smith turned solely the third catcher in Dodgers franchise historical past to hit a go-ahead dwelling run within the postseason. The final was Steve Yeager in Recreation 5 of the 1981 World Collection of Ron Guidry of the New York Yankees. The opposite was Roy Campanella, who did it twice: in Recreation Three of the 1953 World Collection and Recreation Three of the 1955 World Collection.

FIRST RBIS

The 21-year-old Pache, who has performed in solely two common season video games within the huge leagues, has an RBI in every of his 4 NLCS begins. He turned a starter after outfielder Adam Duvall’s left indirect damage within the sequence opener.

LOT OF RELIEF

Minter hadn’t began a recreation since his junior season at Texas A&M in 2015, the identical yr Atlanta drafted him within the second spherical. He had made 144 reduction appearances (139 common season, 5 playoff video games) the previous 4 seasons for the Braves, together with 77 minor league video games, earlier than his first skilled begin.

Smith off Smith, Seager 2 HRs as Dodgers beat Braves in NLCS initially appeared on NBCSports.com