Back-to-back homers from Dansby Swanson, Jorge Soler propel Braves to stunning 3-2 win over Astros

Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler’s back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning led the Braves to a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Saturday night, moving the club to within one win of its first World Series title in a quarter-century.

With the Astros ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Dansby Swanson, who was yet to leave his signature mark on a game this postseason, lit Truist Park on fire with a solo shot just over the right field wall to tie it at 2-2.

Jorge Soler, who was on the bench in favor of Joc Pederson tonight, then came to the plate and crushed a ball just over the left field wall to give the Braves a 3-2 lead.

It was the first time in World Series history the No. 8 and 9 hitter in a lineup had delivered back to back homers, according to Elias Sports.

The bullpen held, and the Braves closed things out in front of a capacity crowd at Truist Park to take a 3-1 series lead.

Reliever Dylan Lee, who was put in a difficult spot to start the game, was not sharp out of the gate. Jose Altuve hit an infield single, and two walks sandwiched around a strikeout of Alex Bregman loaded the bases. Lee was removed from the game for Kyle Wright, who did a great job cleaning up the mess while allowing just one run to score.

Wright pitched very well as the second man out of the bullpen. Following his Houdini escape in the first, he worked a quiet second. He loaded the bases in the third but got Greinke to ground out to end the threat. Jose Altuve tagged him for a solo shot in the fourth to push the deficit to 2-0 but that was it.

Atlanta was unable to get anything going against Greinke, who continually changed speeds down in the zone. They recorded a single in the first, second, third and fourth but nothing more, and any kind of rally in the third and fourth was promptly wiped out by 4-6-3 double plays. They went down 1-2-3 in the fifth.

Chris Martin worked around a two-out single for a clean sixth.

The Braves finally got something going in the sixth. Eddie Rosario doubled and Freddie Freeman walked to put two runners on. Ozzie Albies struck out, but Austin Riley delivered a clutch RBI-single to cut the lead to 2-1.

And then the seventh inning magic happened.

Luke Jackson entered for the eighth. After a fly out and strike out, Altuve hit a ball to deep left field. I thought it was going out. I think most people inside Truist Park through it was going out. And Eddie Rosario made one of the greatest catches in Atlanta Braves history.

Will Smith entered the ninth with the lead at 3-2 and closed things out.

One win away.

Game 5 is set for Sunday night at 8:09 p.m. ET. It will be Framber Valdez, who was knocked around in Game 1 of the series, against another Braves bullpen game. It is unclear who will make the start for Atlanta.