World Series Game 4: The 10 most decisive moments in MLB history

Two iconic moments, one from long ago, the other from nearly yesterday, share honors as the most decisive in the history of World Series Games Four.

The history of Game Four heroes is largely a collection of part-timers thrust into the spotlight by circumstances, and enjoying a single moment of everlasting glory. That’s true of both of the players who share the No. 1 spot.

Only two members of the Hall of Fame, Chicago Cubs legend Frank Chance and Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell, make the list.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers will try to write some history of their own as they play Game Four. But as they do, it might be fun to look back on the best moments from past Series.

This article focuses on the 10 most decisive moments from World Series Games Four. The standard of measurement is Win Probability Added, a relatively new statistic that calculates the extent to which the play in question influenced the game’s outcome.

You can keep an eye open for installments looking at the 10 most decisive moments from World Series Games 5 to Game 7. For tonight, here are the 10 most decisive moments of Game 4 throughout the years.

t-9. Johnny Logan, 1957 Milwaukee Braves. Game 4 of the 1957 Series was a back-and-forth affair. The American League champion New York Yankees scored first only to see that lead erased on Milwaukee’s four-run fourth highlighted by Hank Aaron’s three run home run.

That held until the top of the ninth, when Yankee Elston Howard produced a three-run home run of his own off Warren Spahn. When Hank Bauer touched Spahn for another home run in the top of the 10th, the Yankees had a clear path toward a three-games-to-one Series lead.

 But the Braves, trying to win the franchise’s first World Series since 1914, had one last rally in them. In a famous incident, pinch hitter Nippy Jones was ruled to have been hit by a Tommy Byrne pitch when plate umpire Augie Donatelli – who had initially said Jones had not been hit – found a shoe polish stain on the ball and overturned himself.  Facing Bob Grim, Red Schoendienst sacrificed pinch runner Felix Mantilla to second, bringing up Logan. The Braves shortstop yanked a double inside the left field line that scored Mantilla with the tying run, and scored the winner himself when Eddie Mathews followed with a home run. Logan Win Probability Added: 42 percent.

t-9. Frank Chance, 1910 Chicago Cubs. Player-manager Chance’s Cubs were all but through. Losers of the first three games of the1910 Series tor Connie Mack’s American League champion Philadelphia Athletics, they trailed 3-2 against 23-game winner Chief Bender as the bottom of the ninth opened at Chicago’s West Side Park.

Then Frank Schulte drove a two-base hit into right field and Solly Hofman sacrificed that tying run over to third. The next batter was Chance, who at age 33 was approaching the end of a tumultuous on-field career that had included leadership of the 1907 and 1908 World Series champions.

Chance may have been aging, but he had enough juice to slam Bender’s 0-1 pitch into the vastness of the old yard’s center field for a triple that brought home Schulte with the tying run. In the 10th, the Cubs walked off Bender with their only victory in a five-game A’s Series triumph. Chance Win Probability Added: 42 percent.

8. Tino Martinez, 2001 New York Yankees. The Arizona Diamondbacks led the Series two-games-to-one and looked to be on the verge of a third victory through eight innings of Game Four at Yankee Stadium. The D-Backs, in only their fourth season, led 3-1 when manager Bob Brenly summoned closer Byung-Hyun Kim to replace Curt Schilling for the final six outs.

Kim was a 22-year-old Korean in his third season with the team who had saved 19 games despite one flaw, a predilection to throw the long ball. He had allowed 19 home runs in 98 innings of work. But his strikeout pitch was the dominant weapon, and he sailed through the eighth fanning Shane Spencer, Scott Brosius and Alfonso Soriano in order.

Paul O’Neill’s one-out single brought the  tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Kim responded by making Bernie Williams his fourth strikeout victim. That left Martinez as the Yankees’ final hope. Martinez drilled Kim’s first pitch into the seats in deep right-center, tying the game at 3-3.

One inning later, Derek Jeter would end it with a second home run off Kim, although Arizona claimed the Series itself in seven games. Martinez Win Probability Added: 49 percent.  

7. Devon White, 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. The highest scoring game in World Series history took place Oct. 20, 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Toronto Blue Jays won it 15-14 and White, in the midst of a Series for the ages, was the hero.

In that evening’s offensive maelstrom, White had already walked, singled, doubled and scored twice when the decisive eighth inning began. To that moment, though,  White’s heroics had gone largely unnoticed since the home team held a 14-9 lead and appeared securely on the way to a Series-evening victory.

One of the biggest single-inning rallies in Series history began with a whimper when Roberto Alomar grounded out. But Joe Carter singled, John Olerud walked and Paul Molitor reached on a Dave Hollins error at third, allowing Carter to score.

With his team’s lead reduced to four runs, Phillies manager Jim Fregosi summoned his closer, Mitch Williams, face Tony Fernandez. But he singled, scoring Olerud, and Pat Borders followed with another base on balls. After Williams struck out Ed Sprague, Rickey Henderson lined a base hit into left scoring Molitor and Fernandez and pulling the Jays within a single run.

White was next and Williams, protecting a one-run lead, got him into a 1-2 hole. But his fourth pitch got too much of the plate, and White drove it into the gap past Lenny Dykstra in right-center for a two-run go-ahead double.

Jays relievers Mike Timlin and Duane Ward took it from there, nailing down Toronto’s 3-1 Series edge. They would win it on Joe Carter’s famous Game 6 home, of which more will be said in a later installment. White Win Probability Added: 51 percent.

6. Carl Hubbell, 1933 New York Giants. Hubbell won 253  games in his 16 season career with the Giants, and he added four World Series wins, two of them coming against the American League champion Washington Nationals in 1933.

In Game Four of that Series, Hubbell’s Giants, leading two-games-to-one, were tied 1-1 through the regulation nine innings. Both Hubbell and his mound opponent, Monte Weaver, retired the side in order in the 10th, then in the top of the 11th light-hitting infielder Blondie Ryan touched Weaver for a single that scored Travis Jackson with the go-ahead run.

It fell to Hubbell to protect that slim lead in the bottom of the 10th, and the challenge quickly escalated. Fred Schulte opened the inning with a line single, and Joe Kuhel followed with a bunt single down the first base line. After Ossie Bluege sacrificed the tying and winning runs into scoring position, Hubbell intentionally walked Luke Sewell, loading the bases with one out and the pitcher due up.

Nats manager Joe Cronin's bench was led by Cliff Bolton, a rookie backup catcher who was a defensive liability but a threat at the plate. In just 33 games, Bolton, who hit left handed, had managed to post a .410 batting average for Cronin. In a spot where a base hit would win the game and even the Series, his was a presence to be taken seriously, even against such a famed left-handed pitcher as Hubbell.

Hubbell fell behind Bolton 2-1, then relied on his famous screwball. Bolton hacked at it, but managed only a one-hopper to Jackson at short. Ryan took Jackson’s toss for the force at second and relayed to Bill Terry at first to complete the game-ending double play. The next day, New York wrapped up the Series in five games. Hubbell Win Probability Added: 55 percent.

5. Don Mincher, 1972 Oakland Athletics. Game Four of the 1972 World Series produced not one but two moments of major import, and they fall back-to-back on this list. Although marginally less valuable statistically, Mincher’s was the one that ultimately decided the issue in favor of his Athletics.

For reasons that will be discussed shortly, the A’s trailed the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning at Oakland Alameda County Stadium. Pedro Borbon, one of Reds manager Sparky Anderson’s bullpen favorites, retired Mike Hegan on a grounder to open the inning, but then surrendered a base hit to pinch hitter Gonzalo Marquez.

Anderson, whose nickname was Captain Hook, summoned Clay Carroll to replace Borbon and face Gene Tenace, who also singled. With the tying and winning runs now on base, Mincher lined a single into center field, scoring Allen Lewis, a pinch runner for Marquez, and advancing Tenace to third. When Angel Mangual followed Mincher with another ground single, the A’s walked off as 3-2 winners. Mincher Win Probability Added: 52 percent.

t-1. Cookie Lavagetto, 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers. The first no-hitter in World Series history was NOT pitched by Bill Bevens on Oct. 3, 1947, and Lavagetto is the reason why.

Bevens’ Yankees were seeking their third win of the Series at Ebbets Field, and although the Yankee right-hander had been less than stellar – allowing one run on no hits but walking eight entering the ninth inning – he still led 2-1. Bruce Edwards made the first out, then Bevens made Carl Furillo his ninth base on balls.

After Spider Jorgensen popped out, pinch runner Al Gionfriddo stole second, prompting Bevens to issue walk No. 10 intentionally to Pete Reiser. Dodger manager Burt Shotton summoned Eddie Miksis to run for Reiser and called on Lavagetto  to hit for Eddie Stanky.

Bevens’ first pitch was a fastball that Lavagetto swung through. But he caught the second squarely and flew it over the head of Yankee right fielder Tommy Henrich. The ball rattled off the scoreboard wall while Gionfriddo and Miksis both raced around to score, handing Brooklyn a 3-2 victory and evening the Series.

Lavagetto’s hit not only won the game and broke up Bevens’ no-hit bid, but it ended his own 10-season career. He retired at the end of the Series. Lavagetto Win Probability Added: 82 percent.

t-1. Brett Phillips, 2020 Tampa Bay Rays. It would be hard to imagine a less-likely World Series hero than Brett Phillips. A career backup outfielder, Phillips played in only 17 games for the 2020 Rays after being acquired in mid-season from Kansas City, and hit under .200.

The at bat for which he became famous was his only appearance at the plate during that six-game Rays-Dodgers Series. Phillips didn’t even enter the game until being called on as a pinch runner for Ji-Man Choi in the bottom of the eighth at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex., site the Covid-altered World Series.

Down two-games-to-one, the Rays trailed 7-6 as the bottom of the ninth got underway with Dodger closer Kenley Jansen on the mound. Jansen fanned Yoshi Tsutsugo, but gave up a base hit to Kevin Kiermaier.

Joey Wendle’s lineout left the dangerous rookie Randy Arozarena as the last obstacle between Jansen’s Dodgers and victory. Jansen worked too carefully, walking Arozarena. That made Phillips Tampa Bay’s final hope.

Jansen got two called strikes, then, in Phillips’ own words, “I closed my eyes and swung.” The ball settled on a soft line in centerfield allowing Kiermaier to score the tying run. Baseball madness ensued. Center fielder Chris Taylor bobbled the ball, enticing Arozarena to barrel around third and attempt to score. But he stumbled on the baseline halfway home, leaving himself a sure out … except that the throw home escaped catcher Will Smith, enabling Arozarena to pick himself up and score the inning run after all.

It was Tampa Bay’s last hurrah, the Dodgers taking the final two games and the Series in six. But it was a career highlight for Brett Phillips. Phillips Win Probability Added:  82 percent.