Many Notes Possible After Another Exciting Game 4 In Which The Rays Squared The Series

Of course last night’s thrilling (finally!) game 4, a Tampa Bay Rays’ (8-7) win on Brett Phillips’ 2 out, 2 strike rbi single that coupled with 2 L.A. players’ miscues, transformed a 1 run deficit, into a series squaring “T.B.” win made this World Series compelling, even in a 60 game regular season.

In addition the exciting ending evoked memories of other game 4 Dodgers’ World Series games classics.

Start with the fact, that exactly 39 years earlier, on Saturday October 24, 1981, in a season that was also considerably shorter due to a player’s strike, the Dodgers held on for an (8-7), game 4 win vs the Yankees, that squared a series, L.A. eventually won in 6 games.

In that tilt, the trailing team, as was the case in #4’s in 1941, 1947 and last night, had runners on first and second two out, facing defeat in at that time, a last at bat.

Exactly 39 years ago yesterday, (that tilt was in the glorious day, think how many missed last night’s conclusion, as it was too late), Steve Howe got Willie Randolph on a long fly ball, that Derrell Thomas caught against the centerfield wall at Dodger Stadium, to end the (8-7) L.A. win. Of course last night, they lost (8-7).

Players named Charlie Keller (he on the road, but his team down a run, runners at first and second two outs, albeit up 2 games to 1 in the 1941 World Series), Cookie Lavagetto in 1947’s #4 and now Brett Phillips all delivered clutch hits on plays that resulted in 2 runs scored and either victory (last night and in ’47 game ending victory) or eventual victory as the Yankees actually added 2 more runs on Joe Gordon’s double and (7-4’d) Brooklyn to take a (3-1) World Series lead, as cited on the road in 1941.

The Yankees went on to “5” the Dodgers in 1941 and despite the game 4 loss in ’47, in which Floyd “Bill” Bevens suffered the defeat, though allowing but one hit, that by Lavagetto, (they) 7’d the Dodgers.

We shall see what transpires in this one, the oddsmakers still have L.A. a (2:1) series “fave.” Tonight with Kershaw and Glasnow, a repeat of game 1’s starting pitcher matchup, L.A. is over an 8 to 5 favorite.

Brett Phillips, as an Omaha Chasers player just last year, pictured above.