*Photo from Fox News*
Series tied 2-2
Every world series has at least one game that becomes an instant classic. In 2019, it was game 7 of Astros-Nationals. In 2018, it was game 3 of Dodgers-Red Sox. In 2017, it was game 5 of Astros-Dodgers, and so on. This year, it was game 4. Randy Arozarena homered again, Brett Phillips hit a walkoff single, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7 to force at minimum a game 6.
In the 9th, the Rays had runners on first and second with two outs, and Phillips coming to the plate. Phillips singled into center field, scoring Kevin Kiermaier easily, tying the game, but Chris Taylor botched the play in center, allowing Arozarena to attempt to score, but Taylor's throw was on the money, and Arozarena stumbled, so it seemed as if the game was going to extras, but Dodgers catcher Will Smith lost control of the ball, allowing Arozarena to score, ending the game.
The Dodgers started the scoring in the first inning, when Justin Turner hit a solo homer to center field, making it 1-0 Dodgers early. In the 3rd, Corey Seager hit a solo homer to make it 2-0. In the 4th, Arozarena hit a solo homer, getting the Rays on the board, making it a 2-1 game. In the 5th, Max Muncy hit an RBI single, and Hunter Renfroe hit a solo homer, making it a 3-2 Dodgers lead. In the 6th, Kike Hernandez hit an RBI double, making it 4-2 Dodgers. In the bottom of the 6th, Brandon Lowe hit a 3 run bomb, putting the Rays ahead 5-4. In the 7th, Joc Pederson hit a two run single, and Kiermaier hit a solo homer, tying the game at 6-6. In the 8th, Seager hit an RBI single, and Phillips hit a two run single in the 9th to end it.
John Curtiss got the win for the Rays, throwing 1 1/3 innings at the end of the game, allowing one run. Ryan Yarbrough started for the Rays, throwing 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on 5 hits and one walk, striking out one hitter. Ryan Thompson, Pete Fairbanks, Diego Castillo, Aaron Loup, and Nick Anderson also pitched for the Rays.
Kiermaier talked about Phillips' single after the game, saying that "What a moment for him to step up to the plate in the biggest at-bat of his life with the game on the line and come through for us, it's a moment that no one will ever be able to take away from him and I'm so proud of him for coming up huge and winning the ballgame for us. Absolutely incredible."
Phillips himself said that "Honestly, it's just hard to believe right now that that just happened, once I saw Randy slip, I thought, 'Oh, shoot at least we tied it up.' And then he missed the ball. I didn't know what happened, and then he scored and the next thing I know, I'm airplane-ing around the outfield and getting dog-piled and now here I am talking to the boys."
Kenley Jansen got the loss for the Dodgers, as he pitched the 9th inning, in a save situation. Julio Urias got the start for the Dodgers, throwing 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on 4 hits and one walk, striking out 9 Rays hitters. Blake Treinen, Pedro Baez, Adam Kolarek, and Brusdar Graterol also pitched for the Dodgers.
Turner said of the game after that it was a "Wild game. Back and forth. Up and down, but like we’ve said all along, we know it’s not going to be easy. We know how difficult this is. We have to learn from tonight, make our adjustments that we need to make and come back and find a way to win a game tomorrow."
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts discussed the Baez vs Lowe matchup that ended in a Lowe homer that "Lowe, I just loved the matchup, I just felt Petey could pick Blake up right there, and he had 1-2 and didn’t execute a pitch, made a bad pitch and Lowe really put a good swing on it. That next inning, I take blame for having him go back out, and he said he felt good, but you know I shouldn’t have said that and just kind of kept him burning a little bit. So he went out there and then gave up the homer to Kiermaier. In that run of hitters, I really felt good with Pedro. We had taken the lead and felt good about him back out there."
The series continues with game 5 on Sunday, where Clayton Kershaw starts for the Dodgers against Tyler Glasnow for the Rays.
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