Why in the World does this happen?

WEDNESDAY, a force majeure — an act of fate or God — gave hope that kids east of the Mississippi River would at last have a shot to see an entire World Series game. With heavy rain expected in Cleveland, the start was moved from 8:08 p.m. to accidentally logical 7:08 p.m.

But then the game, a mere 5-1 final, ran a preposterous 4:05. Game 1 of the Reds-Yankees 1976 World Series also was a 5-1 final. It ran 2:10.

This postseason, a DodgersNationals game — a 4-3, nineinning, 13-pitcher final — ran 4:32. It already exists as an alltime unforgettable game that few will recall.

And it seems as if several times per game — during the season’s biggest games — players couldn’t care less.

In last Friday’s Game 6 of the NLCS, Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles helped gift the Cubs a 2-0 lead when he dropped a fly ball which he stylishly and foolishly tried to one-hand.

And yet, that rank senselessness didn’t seem to strike either FOX’s on-site broadcasters or that night’s and the next day’s sports anchors and producers as particularly worthy of their or our particular attention or condemnation. Inexcusably stupid play is now mitigated or ignored as standard.

In Game 1 of the World Series, with the Cubs down 6-0 and one out in the ninth, Chicago’s Willson Contreras hit one deep.

Even down six in the ninth, Contreras couldn’t pass on the opportunity to perform a check-me-out bat-flip while gazing in adoration of his home run — which bounced off the wall. Contreras turned a triple into a double.

And FOX’s John Smoltz, who either has pandered to or has ignored several postseason episodes of form over function, should have been appalled. Instead, he issued only a brief, mild scold of what struck intelligent viewers as pathetic.

“In close games,” he said, “you have to run those out.”

It was a World Series game! Scoring six runs in an inning happens! Smoltz knows better, we know better. Why was he afraid to say better?