The 1959 World Series — Game 4, the Dodgers take control

Trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers two games to one, Chicago White Sox manager Al Lopez called upon his Game One starter, Early Wynn, for Game Four. He thus again bypassed his long-time ace Billy Pierce to bring Wynn back on three days rest. Pitching on three days rest was no big deal in those days, though, and Lopez had limited Wynn to seven (shutout) innings in the Game One rout of the Dodgers.
Walter Alston also tapped his Game One starter, Roger Craig, who had lasted less than three innings in that rout.
The Dodgers got to Wynn in the third inning with five straight singles — Moon, Larker, Hodges, Demeter, and Roseboro — after two were out. While Lopez can’t legitimately be second-guessed for starting Wynn, he clearly blundered by sticking with him as the Dodgers belted hit- after-hit in the third inning. By the time Lopez pulled Wynn for Turk Lown, following Roseboro’s single, he had given up four runs on eight hits in less than three innings.
After Norm Cash batted for Lown in the bottom of the third, Pierce finally got his chance to pitch in the series. He delivered three innings of no-run, no-hit hurling. Three years later, as a San Francisco Giant, Pierce would make two starts against the New York Yankees, and pitch very well.
The Dodgers entered the seventh inning holding a 4-0 lead. Craig had given up seven hits, but had escaped real trouble thanks to a pair of timely double plays.
In the top of the seventh, Landis, Fox, and Kluszewski all singled. With two out and one run in, Sherm Lollar came to the plate. By this point Craig had given up ten hits. But Alston, in a rare lapse of judgment, stayed with Craig. Lollar proceeded to tie the game with a three-run homer.
The score remained tied 4-4 through seven and half innings. In the bottom of eighth, Gil Hodges continued his clutch late season hitting by blasting a lead-off home run off of Chicago relief ace Jerry Staley. Larry Sherry, who had come on in the top of the eighth, set the White Sox down in order in the ninth. Sherry had now pitched in three straight games, winning two and saving one.
The Dodgers, on the strength of their 5-4 win, held a commanding three games to one lead in the Series.

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