HOUSTON – For the 39th time in World Series history, there is a Game 7.
The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers meet Wednesday night to determine who will be World Series champion.
Take a look at the history of Game 7s in the Fall Classic by the numbers:
WORLD SERIES GAME 7 HISTORY
This marks the 39th time in a best-of-seven World Series that the Fall Classic has extended to a final game (including 1912, when eight games were played following a Game 2 tie).
It marks the second consecutive season, and the fourth time in seven years that the series has gone the distance, along with the Cardinals and Rangers in 2011, the Giants and Royals in 2014, and the Cubs and Indians in 2016.
It is the eighth time in the last 29 World Series (beginning 1988) that the series has extended to a decisive game. In addition to those listed above, the other four include: Braves and Twins in 1991; Indians and Marlins in 1997; Yankees and Diamondbacks in 2001; and Angels and Giants in 2002.
This marks the first time since 2001-02 that back-to-back Fall Classics go the distance.
In the previous 38 instances (including 1912), the home team has been victorious 18 times (47.4%), while the road team has come out on top 20 times (52.6%).
The home team has been victorious in nine of the last 11 occurrences, beginning with the Cardinals victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in 1982. The others include: Royals over Cardinals (1985); Mets over Red Sox (1986); Twins over Cardinals (1987); Twins over Braves (1991); Marlins over Indians (1997); Diamondbacks over Yankees (2001); Angels over Giants (2002); and Cardinals over Rangers (2011). The two exceptions in that time were the Giants over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium in 2014, and the Cubs over the Indians at Progressive Field last year.
Prior to San Francisco's 2014 win, the previous road team to win a Game 7 of the World Series had been the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Baltimore Orioles in 1979 at Baltimore.
This is just the second time in World Series history that a 3-games-to-3 tie in the World Series has followed the following scenario: home team wins Game 1; road team wins Game 2; home team wins Game 3; road team wins Game 4; home team wins Game 5; and home team wins Game 6.
The only other occurrence was in 1975, when the Reds defeated the Red Sox in Game 7 on the road.
ASTROS GAME 7 HISTORY
The Astros are headed for a winner-take-all Game 7 for the third time in franchise history, and the second time in this postseason.
They are 1-1 in the previous two such contests, falling to the Cardinals in Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS, and defeating the Yankees in Game 7 of this year's ALCS.
DODGERS GAME 7 HISTORY
The Dodgers are headed for a winner-take-all Game 7 for the seventh time in franchise history, and the sixth time in the Fall Classic.
The Dodgers are 3-3 in the previous six Game 7s, and they have won each of their last two such games.
The wins came in the 1988 NLCS against the Mets; the 1965 World Series against Minnesota; and the 1955 World Series against the Yankees. The losses came in the 1956 World Series against the Yankees; the 1952 Fall Classic against the Yankees; and the 1947 World Series against the Yankees. (The Dodgers played one other Game 7 in 1920, though it was not a winner-take-all because the series was a best-of-nine).
The Dodgers are 2-1 at home in a winner-take-all Game 7.
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