It is a World Series game that will be remembered as perhaps the greatest ever played.

…and the worst.

It is a World Series game that the Dodgers had in the win column three different times.

…and the loss column four.

It is a World Series game in which so many things went incredibly right.

…and terribly wrong.

It is a World Series game that lasted five hours and 17 minutes.

…and a lifetime for Dodger fans not yet thirty years old.

The line score from Sunday night’s historic game-5 of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas reads as follows:

However, for the millions of television viewers who watched the game, especially Dodger fans, the final score was Bill Miller – 100 / Dodgers – 0.

For those unfamiliar with Bill Miller, he was the home plate umpire for what was arguably the single greatest World Series game ever played in its 114-year history. The problem is, Bill Miller wasn’t just bad, he was absolutely atrocious. We’re talking worse than Angel Hernandez atrocious here. But if there is a silver lining here it’s that Bill Miller was bipartisan atrocious. In other words, he sucked equally for both the Dodgers and the Astros, although many Dodger fans may disagree. In fact, he was so bad that it prompted one creative Dodger fan to come up with this parody of the so-called ‘K-Zone’:

But for as bad as Bill Miller was, and he was inexcusably bad (PLEASE take note, Rob Manfred), he was not the lone reason why the Dodgers lost Sunday night’s game that now finds them down three games to two in the best-of-seven series. Those reasons (yes, there are many) lay squarely on the shoulders of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers reliever Brandon Morrow, and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, among others. But as we all know and what is the staple of every successful endeavor, you win as a team and you lose as a team. As such, it does absolutely no good whatsoever to cast blame on any one person or persons.

No words necessary here.
(Photo credit – Matt Slocum

That being said and casting aspersions aside, the defining moment of Sunday night’s epic battle between the indisputable two best teams in the game occurred when Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward was, of all things, misunderstood by Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor in the top half of the eighth inning.

With one out, Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson lined a doubled to left. This was followed by Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor being hit by a pitch from Astros right-hander Brad Peacock to put runners at first and second, still with only one out. Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager then roped a double to left field to easily score Pederson. But as Chris Taylor, one of the fastest runners on the team, was approaching third base with every intention of attempting to score, Woodward (reportedly) yelled “You’ve got to go.” But with Minute Maid Park’s retractable roof closed, the noise inside the stadium was so loud that Taylor (reportedly) thought that Woodward had said “No.” As such, he slammed on the brakes and stopped at third base.

Adding insult to injury, Astros left fielder Marwin Gonzalez‘s throw home was up the line, meaning that Taylor would have easily scored had he not stopped at third base because of the (reported) ‘Go-No’ miscommunication. And even though Taylor’s run would have made it a 11-10 Astros lead at the time, his run would have made it a 13-12 Dodgers victory when the third out was recorded in the bottom of the ninth. In other words, the Dodgers would be heading into game-6 on Tuesday night up three games to two instead of down three games to two.

It is the epitome of would of, could of, should of.

But alas, it is what it is, and it’s a seven game series not a five game series. As such, the Dodgers still have a pulse and are left knowing exactly what they must to do to win their first World Series title in 29 years. The good news is that they will be attempting to do so in a much friendlier environment at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday (and hopefully Wednesday) night. In fact, this is the very definition of ‘home field advantage’ and is preciously why having the best overall record during the regular season is/was so very very important.

Don’t give up, Dodger fans. As actor Ed Harris said in his role as NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz in the popular motion picture Apollo 13, “With all due respect sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.”