World Series: Game 4's demented 'Double Buckner' ending shocked the baseball world
So, Game 4 of the 2020 World Series ended. We can confirm that much.
Describing just how it ended is a little difficult. Maybe call it an incomprehensible cascading series of game-deciding blunders? It might just be better to show you how the Tampa Bay Rays walked off the Los Angeles Dodgers before putting it into words:
This play will go down in World Series history... and Dodgers infamy.
(Via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/x0W3kIoQXi— Yahoo Sports MLB (@MLByahoosports) October 25, 2020
So, a bloop single from Brett Phillips found a soft spot in the shift, then bounced off the glove of Chris Taylor. Taylor picked up the ball and fired it to Max Muncy in the infield, who made an off-target throw to Will Smith at the plate to keep the game tied. Smith lost the ball as he turned to make a play at the plate, which never came because Randy Arozarena fell down as he was running down the third-base line. Arozarena recovered before Smith, broke for home and the game was over.
Deep breaths.
Over the course of its history, baseball has discovered some truly demented ways to end a game. But we may never see that many mistakes occur in the span of 10 seconds again, not in the context of a series-tying World Series walk-off win.
And especially not after a game that was already so dramatic, in which the team combined to score runs in eight straight-half innings. This is what the game’s win probability chart ended up looking like:
Y'all pic.twitter.com/rxpBZULMfc
— FanGraphs Baseball (@fangraphs) October 25, 2020
It’s hard to say just what that little line looks like. The mountains of Mordor outside the Tower of Sauron, perhaps?
Look, any game that makes Alex Rodriguez do this is going to go down in baseball lore.
😂😂@AROD's reaction to that wild Game 4 ending is priceless! pic.twitter.com/jnfiIOSbWy
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 25, 2020
It took a while for the baseball world to process what it just saw. And then the Bill Buckner references and everything else started rolling in.
Baseball world reacts to one of the craziest World Series endings ever
What just happened
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) October 25, 2020
Legit just woke up my mom screaming
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) October 25, 2020
Wow man!!! #WorldSeries
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 25, 2020
That was the single most ridiculous game-ending play I have ever seen
— Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) October 25, 2020
Baseball is more fun when you grease the ball and the third base line, apparently
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) October 25, 2020
That was the most chaotic ending to a baseball game I've ever seen I feel like I just mainlined joy
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 25, 2020
WHAT WAS THAT WHAT IN GOD'S NAME WAS THAT
— Michael Clair (@michaelsclair) October 25, 2020
"I don't believe what I just saw." - Joe Buck's dad
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) October 25, 2020
That was the wildest end to a wild World Series game OMG
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) October 25, 2020
I have been staring slack-jawed at the television for several minutes
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) October 25, 2020
Double Buckner.
— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) October 25, 2020
That is the craziest end to a World Series game since Buckner.
— Maury Brown (@BizballMaury) October 25, 2020
I mean in terms of bonkers game-ending sequences in World Series history...Buckner, this game, anything else in that category? I’m sure there’s one or two others, but wow wow wow.
— jesse agler (@jesseagler) October 25, 2020
me trying to explain whatever the hell just happened to anyone who missed the game tonight pic.twitter.com/kPmxbMixBn
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 25, 2020
Everyone did so badly. Chris Taylor’s fielding. Max Muncy’s throw. Randy Arozarena’s tripping. Will Smith’s catching. Arozarena sliding too soon. *chef kiss*
— Ben Weinrib (@benweinrib) October 25, 2020
The Dodgers are going to find new and ever-stranger ways to lose World Series until the heat death of the universe, aren't they
— Michael Clair (@michaelsclair) October 25, 2020
We've replaced the 2020 Dodgers with the 2020 Phillies, let's see if anyone notices
— Jon Tayler, Smiling Politely (@JATayler) October 25, 2020
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) October 25, 2020
I can’t decide if that was the best ending ever to a baseball game or the worst.
— Shane Jackson (@SJacksonLJW) October 25, 2020
Watched every second of that and have absolutely no idea how any of that happened
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) October 25, 2020
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