The most chaotic ending to a memorable Game Four
Vin Scully shouted in awe after Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened”. Never before have I witnessed in person that line, that call ring true. This season at times looked so improbable, improbable to start, and even improbable to finish. The impossible ending that we witnessed, is a game that we not only wanted as baseball fans. It was a game we almost needed in a hardship filled year.
Brett Phillips looped his first base hit of the postseason with two outs and two strikes. Before the game-winner, Phillips did not have a hit in 30 days. This is again the reminder of the strength in Tampa Bay. The Rays can have anybody beat you at any given time. The expectation was a tied game with the Rays getting another at-bat and the likely extra innings to follow.
Chris Taylor fumbling the routine single started the wild chain of events as Kevin Kiermaier easily crossed the plate. The fumble had Randy Arozarena running for home from first base at full speed, unfortunately too fast as he stumbled and somersaulted less than 40 feet away from home. The panicked throws from both Chris Taylor and Max Muncy as the cutoff were a last-ditch effort to keep the game tied and for all intents and purposes, the throws did just that. As Arozarena was dancing around in the baseline as an assumed deadman walking, Will Smith whiffed on the throw and as the ball rolled away from the catcher, Randy flailed his way into the home plate to end the game in the dramatic fashion that you can only fully understand if you watched the game.
A lot happened before the walk-off
Aside from the overdramatic ending, this game was already a game to remember. This is a game that had too many memorable moments that words can’t describe. I will be understating the moments and action from Game 4 no matter how hard I try.
Dodgers power builds lead, The Dodgers stars delivered
The Dodgers looked ready to make this game a route from the first inning on. Justin Turner was one of Game Three’s heroes with his solo shot. In this game, he picked up where he left off. Ryan Yarbough served Turner a curveball that slashed to the inside of the plate. Turner corraled the pitch to deep center for another solo shot and an early Dodgers lead.
The top of the third inning saw another Dodgers star pick up where he left off, in Corey Seager. Seager was a nightmare in the NLCS for the Atlanta Braves. He crushed 5 home runs on his way to being the Championship Series MVP. Cory was waiting for the ideal pitch to power, a hanger over the heart of the plate was exactly that. Seager pulled the ball well over the right-field fence and the Dodgers appeared comfortable with the 2-0 early lead.
Both Turner and Seager went 4 for 5 on the night and the two circled the bases for 5 of the Dodgers 7 runs. The main presence of the Dodgers power duo came early on. Yet, the star power was felt throughout the game from the two being constantly on base. Corey Seager would be the games MVP with his go-ahead looping single that put the Dodgers ahead 7-6 in the top of the 8th inning. It’s funny how things turn out.
Randy delivers again, the historic performance continues
It’s crazy to think that Randy Arozarena homered again and it isn’t the play we remember him for in the outcome of this game. Randy Arozarena hit his ninth home run in the 4th inning to give the Rays life and continue his historic postseason. The Dodgers are more than aware of Arozarena’s power and have been trying to avoid serving him anything that would cost them. Outside of the plate is considered an ideal place to pitch to a hot hitter. Anyone who watched the ALCS knows that it is far from a safe spot in the zone. Arozarena powered the pitch deep over the right-center wall with the strength that we saw constantly in this year’s postseason.
Randy Arozarena has been kept contained by the Dodgers throughout the World Series. At least contained in comparison to the ALCS. Tonight was Randy’s best night of the series. A reminder to the Dodgers that if he isn’t going to beat you with the long ball, he’ll beat you with simple contact (which Arozarena did for the next two hits of the night), or with his baserunning (which needs no further explanation).
The Dodgers kept piling on but Brandon Lowe’s 3-run blast flips the momentum
Max Muncy rapped a base hit to bring in a third run for the Dodgers. Enrique Hernandez smacked a hard grounder to drive in the fourth run for LA. The problem was that the Rays bats were coming alive. The Dodgers appeared to have a constant lead throughout the game but all momentum was flipped in the 6th inning.
Hunter Renfroe pulled a homer that was gone of the bat in the 5th inning, but the double-decker was a solo shot. In the 6th inning, we saw the Rays finally attack the Dodgers in the most effective way possible. The lineup worked the counts and got runners on base. With two baserunners already on, Brandon Lowe just needed to keep the rally going. Instead, he gave the Rays their first lead of the game. Brandon Lowe is known as a pull-hitter and thus was served an outside fastball, oddly enough, Lowe has powered most of his home runs to the opposite field and it was precisely what he did on the Pedro Baez serving. The homer gave the Rays the 5-4 lead and it appeared the game was going to be all theirs from that point onward.
Brandon Lowe’s heroics are followed by his misgivings
Anyone watching this game could tell that we were poised for a game to remember once the Dodgers started to rally again. The Rays bullpen has been superb throughout the season. Even as they loaded the bases nobody panicked as they earned two strikeouts in the 7th inning. This set up the epic at-bat for Joc Pederson against Nick Anderson.
The 3-1 delivery from Anderson was hit by Pederson into the heart of the shift. A liner just a few feet away from the excellent second baseman Brandon Lowe. Lowe looked to have the robbery with a diving effort, but it was a reminder of how hard the game of baseball is to play. Brandon Lowe just missed the catch, the ball bounced off his glove into right field for the base hit. With the runners already taking off on contact, two runs easily crossed the plate, giving the Dodgers another 1-run lead.
A tied game again follow the appeared go-ahead run
In case this game wasn’t already exciting enough after the surge in scoring, we saw more power and clutch hitting that would only be a prelude to the wild finish. Kevin Kiermaier hasn’t possessed power in his career and hasn’t been known for his hitting either. Kiermaier took a Baez marshmallow over the plate and sent a no-doubter to the right-field bleachers. The game was tied and it was the seventh inning. Close games that are bullpen battles fall right into the Rays favor.
One would think otherwise after the Seager jam-shot. The Dodgers had the game-winning run at second with two outs and their most reliable hitter in Corey Seager at the plate. Being that 2 outs are the most opportune time for the Dodgers to score runs (something they did with all their runs tonight) Corey Seager got just enough of the 2-2 high and inside pitch to land in for an RBI single. This appeared to be the dagger and ender to an already exciting game. Little did we know of what was yet to come.
Where do both teams go following this game?
In ending leaves us wondering if this was the moment in the World Series that flips the momentum and puts Tampa Bay in the driver’s seat now. It’s a classic cliche in baseball, that momentum is only as good as your next starter. Game Five gives us the same pitching matchup as game One did in Clayton Kershaw vs. Tyler Glasnow. It’s far from predictable who will win the game. But there will be more than enough storylines to follow from the fallout of the thriller we just witnessed.
In a year that has given us more than enough hardship, I said after Game One that we could use a good series. We can use a series that allows baseball fans to boast about the spotlight and cherish the highlight from an otherwise dark year. After a few disappointing outcomes with the games being decided by more than 2 runs, I didn’t think we would get a thrilling series or even a close game. Saturday night erased all the previous doubts and gave us a moment to remember. The series can be a dud from here on out (and it probably won’t be) but we won’t care. This game and the Phillips at-bat will be a point that we will remember for years to come.
