Dodgers going to the World Series, taking 2 Charlotte-area high school stars with them
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going to the World Series, and two former Charlotte-area high school stars are going with them.
The Dodgers rallied from a 3 games-to-1 deficit in their best-of-7 National League Championship Series with the Atlanta Braves, winning Sunday’s deciding Game 7.
The 4-3 win gave the Dodgers the National League pennant and helped them advance to the World Series for the third time in four years. Atlanta was trying to make the championship series for the first time in 21 years.
On the Dodgers roster are former Ardrey Kell pitcher Alex Wood and Corey Seager, who played at Northwest Cabarrus High.
Seager, a shortstop, set new NLCS records with five home runs and 11 RBIs over the seven games. Seager was named MVP of the series.
After the series ended, Seager was interviewed on Fox’s national television broadcast.
“It wasn’t me, man,” he said. “It was this team. Defensively, pitching, game-calling, planning, everything. We grinded all the way through this series. This wasn’t an easy one, and we’re glad to be on top.”
The Dodgers advances to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. Tampa Bay beat Houston 4-2 in a Game 7 on Saturday night in the American League Championship Series and avoided blowing a 3-0 series lead.
Game 1 of the World Series is Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.
Seager, 26, was born in Charlotte and is part of a baseball family. His oldest brother, Kyle, is a third baseman with the Seattle Mariners. Middle brother Justin was a 12th round pick in the 2013 MLB draft.
Corey Seager, who grew up loving Yankees great Derek Jeter, committed to South Carolina to play baseball, but he received a $2.35 million signing bonus after being selected No. 18 overall in the first round by the Dodgers in the 2012 MLB draft. After three years in the minors, Seager began his MLB career in 2015.
Wood, 29, was named N.C. high school baseball player of the year in 2009. He played in college at Georgia before being drafted by the Braves in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
This story was originally published October 18, 2020 at 11:54 PM.
