The World Series is now tied at 2-2 after an astonishing finish to a phenomenal game of baseball at Globe Life Field.
This one had everything, including a flurry of late lead changes that added unimaginable drama to what has been a thrilling series so far between the no-doubt best two teams in baseball. It all ended with Randy Arozarena, of course it did – sprawled in the dirt, beaming smile of joy on his face as he beat his right hand repeatedly on home plate celebrating the most unthinkable way to win a baseball game we have ever seen.
In what has to be the most absurd finish to a World Series game in living memory, pinch hitter Brett Phillips delivered a game-tying single off Kenley Jansen with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th-inning. But wait! The hit into right-center field was fumbled by Chris Taylor as he went to scoop it up. The sprinting Arozarena rounded 3rd base in a mad dash to steal a win at home plate only to awkwardly stumble and fall halfway. Taylor rifled the ball in and it was cut off by first baseman Max Muncy, who looked to have an easy out as Arozarena turned and retreated towards 3rd base, expecting to take on a rundown. Crazily, Muncy threw wide of home plate. Will Smith was unable to corral the throw and Jansen, whose job it was to back up Smith exactly for a moment like this, was mulling around aimlessly on the 3rd base line. Randy saw his chance, reversed course again, and slid into the plate head-first to win the game! Boy, oh boy!
UNBELIEVABLE. 😱#WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/kkzidC2d95
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2020
Dodgers 7–8 Rays
Both teams put their faith in starters who had operated mostly as swingmen over the past season – the Dodgers went with young Mexican star Julio Urías and the Rays entrusted lefty Ryan Yarbrough.
As he did the night before, Justin Turner put the Dodgers ahead in the top of the 1st with a deep shot to left-center field that was just out of the reach of a leaping Kevin Kiermaier.
https://gfycat.com/loathsomerashcrayfish
The Rays did their best to try to even things up but Mookie Betts wasn’t interested.
Mookie's showing off the vertical. 😱#WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/UZuEroZAAt
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2020
The Dodgers jumped further ahead in the top of the 3rd thanks to shortstop Corey Seager, who tied Arozarena for the most home runs in a post-season ever in MLB with 8.
https://gfycat.com/sphericaljoyfulborzoi
That didn’t phase the young Cuban, however, and Arozarena wasted no time in nudging ahead once more with a 399FT bomb to right-center field to pull the Rays back to within one run.
https://gfycat.com/forcefulbravegnatcatcher
The two teams traded blows in the 5th with Max Muncy driving in a run-scoring single before Hunter Renfroe went way deep to spell the end for Urías.
A rocket from Renfroe. 😱#WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/y38u8qKm46
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2020
The middle innings have been relatively scoreless with only a few cagey moments in this series so far, mainly due to the quality of both of these bullpens. However, in Game 4 they leaked runs. 11 relievers gave up 10 runs from the 5th inning onwards. Enrique Hernández extended the Dodgers lead to 4-2 with a passion-filled double to score Will Smith.
POV: you’re in the @Dodgers dugout pic.twitter.com/3qO6UR47Rq
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 25, 2020
With the flow of the game ebbing towards the Dodgers it certainly felt like this series was slipping away from the Tampa Bay Rays. Until Brandon Lowe stepped up to catapult the Rays ahead 5-4 with a home run off Pedro Báez, much to the dismay of Dave Roberts.
https://gfycat.com/spitefulneglectedhyrax
The Rays were in a jam at the top of the 7th inning after Aaron Loup allowed 2 base runners. Nick Anderson left a 94 mph heater over the plate and Joc Pederson blasted a two-run single off the glove of a diving Lowe and into right field to give the Dodgers back a one-run advantage. Pederson was just 1-for-6 in the series with zero RBIs so it was a timely hit for the big man.
https://gfycat.com/vibrantsatisfiedkingbird
Roberts then made a catastrophic coaching decision by allowing Báez to trot back out for the 7th inning. Kevin Kiermaier, who had only hit 3 home runs in 49 regular-season games, punished him by hitting his 3rd home run of this post-season.
This game is WILD. @KKiermaier39 ties it! pic.twitter.com/ep2ayt6ZJf
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2020
If this is a quick-fire, hold-your-breath run-down that you are struggling to keep up with then it is because that is exactly what this game was like to watch.
There was an inevitability that the Dodgers would inch their noses in front at some point late in the contest and that is exactly what happened thanks to a cheeky flare from Corey Seager that crept agonizingly over the head of Willy Adames to put the Dodgers on top 7-6 going into the 9th. Seager went 4-for-5 with 3 runs, a homer, and 2 RBIs in another remarkable performance.
https://gfycat.com/pointlessspryhammerheadbird
So we end where we started, the bizarre 2-run single from Brett Phillips to win the game 8-7 for the Rays. Let’s all relive it from a different perspective one more time for the goosebumps.
All the emotions. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/QKeWXuKSnZ
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2020
For baseball fans across the globe, this is what the World Series is all about. For older people, it reminds them of their own precious baseball moments of yester-years that still live on with them. For family and friends, it provides them with special memories that they share together for the rest of their lives. And for young baseball fans, they went to sleep last night with their own dreams of one day being on the field for a game like today.
Final starting pitcher lines:
Ryan Yarbrough: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ERA, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR (69 pitches)
Julio Urías: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ERA, 1 BB, 9 K, 2 HR (80 pitches)
Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Tampa Bay Rays 2 – Game 5 today: 8:08 pm EST / 5:08 pm PT (FOX)
And, we will let Brett have the last say.
Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/CRXXKzsYPp
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 25, 2020
Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@freshmeatcomm on Twitter)