It is the thick of the World Series and fans that do not have a vested interest want exciting baseball, while fans with a team in the race are anxiously praying for a win. Dodgers fans are no exception with a 32-year drought since their last World Series victory. It would be an understatement to say that “armchair managing” is at an all-time high this week.

The Boys in Blue have come so close with this being their third time to the Fall Classic in four years, however, everyone knows the struggles surrounding the scandals with the 2017 and 2018 series. Even with a shortened 60-game regular season for 2020, many are hoping this is finally the Dodgers time to shine. Even the team has admitted that this is the most cohesive group they have played with and optimism is high.

Los Angeles is pitted against the Tampa Bay Rays, the American League champions, in this heated competition. They are currently leap-frogging each other through the series with LA taking Game-1, Tampa taking Game-2, and so on through last night’s Game-4.

The Dodgers started the game with seven players with a home run in the first three games while also managing to score 50 runs with two outs.

Enter Game-4.

It started strong with third baseman Justin Turner hitting his second home run in the first inning on back to back nights – yet another Dodgers record. Corey Seager would also go yard against Ray’s pitcher Ryan Yarbrough before being pulled after 4.1 innings.

Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias kept the runs to a minimum, with a season-high of nine strikeouts while giving up two home runs before he was pulled with two outs in the fifth inning.

Enter postseason manager Dave Roberts and all of the other “armchair” managers…

Many within the fan base are confused as to why Doc pulled Urias so early. He had given up two runs, but with only 80 pitches, managed to hold back the Rays bats for the most part. Even more baffling was bringing in reliever Blake Treinen, who has been hit or miss, with such a close lead.

Treinen got the last out of the fifth inning but went into the sixth by giving up a single to designated hitter Randy Arozarena, who had already homered off Urias in the fourth and walking Ji-Man Choi, who came in to replace Michael Brosseau. He would strike out the next batter before being pulled. There was some relief that Doc had a quick hook before things could escalate.

And then Doc would bring in reliever Pedro Baez Roberts has an affinity for the pitcher that most do not understand. With a loaded bullpen, there were other choices with a pivotal game and the score being so close with the Dodgers having a 4-2 lead.

Baez would give up a three-run home run to the first batter he faced, Brandon Lowe, who had already homered off the Dodgers twice in this series. Thankfully, Baez was able to make quick work of the next two batters to end the inning even though the Rays now led 5-4, taking the lead for the first time.

The Dodgers were able to claw back two runs with shortstop Corey Seager and third baseman Justin Turner scoring in the top of the seventh to put the Boys in Blue back in the lead again at 6-5.

However, the quick hook we saw with Urias and Treinen was nowhere to be found in this instance. Doc brought Pedro back out to pitch the bottom of the seventh where he gave up another home run to the second batter he faced, center fielder Kevin Kiermaeir. He then walked the next batter and lucked into a double play when Arozarena was up to bat but the game was now tied 6-6.

A surprise home run in the eighth inning from utility player Chris Taylor would put the Dodgers back on top at 7-6. And while most fans would breathe a momentary sigh of relief, all knew that this was not enough of a lead and LA would need to do some work to hold onto it – be it insurance runs or steady pitching.

Enter Doc again… He brought in reliever Adam Kolarek who had not pitched in ten days. Kolarek is a great pitcher, but with the game on the line, a fresher arm would have been wise in this situation. He walked the first batter he faced and was able to get a fly-out and a strikeout of the next two hitters before being pulled. Roberts then brought in reliever Brusdar Graterol who has been tremendous in these high leverage situations so far during the season. He gave up a single but was able to end the inning on only six pitches.

In the top of the ninth, Los Angeles could not provide any insurance runs, and the Rays made quick work of the four batters they faced.

Doc responded to the 7-6 lead the Dodgers tenuously held by bringing in reliever/closer Kenley Jansen. The fan base collectively went back to holding their breath while simultaneously holding out hope in a situation only Dave Roberts had control of…but did he?

Kenley has been the subject of debate in the media lately for his drop in velocity and a hit or miss track record when pitching. He has performed better in his last two to three outings, but not to the point where a one-run lead would warrant pulling Graterol who only used up six pitches in the last inning and could have feasibly gone back out to start the ninth with Jansen as a backup if the need arose.

Jansen came in and struck out the first batter on five pitches. He then gave up a single on the very next pitch to Kiermaeir who represented the tying run. Ray’s second baseman Joey Wendle would fly out to left field for the second out. Kenley then walked Arozarena on a seven-pitch at-bat.

And here is where a game that was within the Dodgers grasp got blown wide open.

Top of the ninth. Two out. Two on (first and second. 1-2 count. Rays’ Brett Phillips singled home the tying run, allowing Kiermaier to score and tie the game at 7-7. What happened next in a matter of seconds blew everyone’s’ mind.

Center fielder Chris Taylor errored by bobbling the ball before throwing to cutoff man – Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy – who then made a very catchable throw to catcher Will Smith in an attempt to prevent the walk-off winning run from scoring. Smith dropped the ball as he spun to make the tag at the plate and with no pitcher backup at home, this allowed Arozarena, who had tripped and completely fallen down on the way from third, to score and take Game-4 of the World Series 8-7.

In postgame interviews, Jansen was asked about his outing and why he didn’t back up the play. He kept repeating that tomorrow would be another day, they couldn’t beat themselves up about it, and the need for staying positive.

Dave Roberts called it an “unperfect storm” and continued to back up his pitcher, this despite saying that it was Mookie Betts who failed to “gather the baseball” when, in fact, it was Taylor.

“It’s tough, and we got to digest it, but we have to turn the page,” Roberts said. “Now it’s a three-game series. We’ve got Clayton going tomorrow and our focus has to turn to win tomorrow.”

That will be little comfort for the fan base who wants a win just as much as the team does and who feels this is a repeat of years past. Many were hopeful that Roberts’ managing style had improved with the progress so far during the postseason. However, the Game-4 loss brought back painful memories and doubt about his tactics and decisions during October, which fans have grown all too accustomed to.

Hopefully, with a night’s rest under everyone’s belt, the team can go back out and tackle Game-5. Since that is what this fanbase is used to – hope. Sometimes cynical hope, but despite the odds, the Dodgers have a habit of clawing their way back, and “hopefully” this year it will result in a World Series championship for Los Angeles.

From the sage words of SportsNetLA host/reporter, Alanna Rizzo, who tweeted after Game-4:

“Dear baseball. You wreck me, but you fix me. You floor me, but you elevate me. You misunderstand me, but you get me. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

We will see you tomorrow, baseball. Let’s go Dodgers!

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