The Los Angeles Dodgers went into Game 4 of the World Series needing a win against the Houston Astros, who had yet to lose at Minute Maid Park in the postseason, to avoid falling into a daunting 3-1 deficit.
One night after the Dodgers were forced to use five different relievers because Yu Darvish only managed to complete 1.2 innings, Alex Wood answered the bell. Roberts openly stated before Game 4 he needed the southpaw to provide length.
Wood held the Astros without a hit until George Springer’s solo home run broke a scoreless tie with two outs in the sixth inning. Wood’s 5.2 innings was the deepest a Dodgers pitcher held a no-hitter in a World Series game.
Springer’s home run to break up a no-hitter in the fifth inning or later was also a first in the Fall Classic. While the Dodgers’ bats were again held quiet, they eventually awoke, in particular Cody Bellinger.
His one-out double in the seventh inning was Bellinger’s first hit of the World Series. He later scored with two outs on Logan Forsythe’s base hit to center field, tying the game. It remained locked at 1-1 until the ninth inning, when the Dodgers erupted for five runs.
Astros closer Ken Giles allowed a leadoff single to Corey Seager, then walked Justin Turner. Bellinger added to Giles’ troubles by driving a go-ahead RBI double into left-center field. Joe Musgrove struck out Yasiel Puig, then intentionally walked Forsythe.
After an Austin Barnes sacrifice fly, Joc Pederson connected on a three-run home run that blew the game open at 6-1. Kenley Jansen surrendered an innocent solo homer to Alex Bregman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before finishing out the game.
