Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Former Wright State Raiders pitcher Joe Smith will become the second player from the program to appear in the World Series if he pitches for Houston Astros in relief when they face the Washington Nationals. Game 1 is Tuesday in Houston.
Brian Anderson was the first Wright State player to appear in the World Series when he started one game for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the New York Yankees in 2001.
Smith made 16 relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs in 2016, the year they won the World Series, but did not make the postseason roster.
Smith, 35, has made six appearances in the postseason with the Astros this month. He has a 1.69 ERA in 5 1/3 innings.
Smith appeared in four games in the American League Championship Series. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning Saturday in Game 6. The Astros beat the New York Yankees 6-4 on a two-run, walk-off home run by Jose Altuve in the 10th inning.
A third-round pick in the 2006 draft, Smith is a 13-year veteran. He made his big-league debut with the New York Mets in 2007. This is second season in Houston. He compiled a 1.80 ERA in 28 relief appearances in the regular season. Smith ruptured his Achilles tendon in the offseason and made his season debut July 14.
