Dominant when it matters

Noteworthy relief performances from starting pitchers in the World Series since the onset of the “live ball” era (1920 on):

1924, Game 7: The Washington Senators’ Walter Johnson, who had gone the distance in Game 5, pitched four innings of shutout ball on one day’s rest to close out the New York Giants in 12 innings, 4-3.

1926, Game 7: On a Saturday, 39-year-old Grover Cleveland Alexander pitched a complete game to win Game 6 and draw the Cardinals even with the Yankees. On Sunday — a bit hung over, as the story goes — he came out of the bullpen in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, two out and St. Louis leading 3-2. He struck out Tony Lazzeri to end the threat, then finished the job. (Babe Ruth was caught stealing second with two out to end the game — and the Series.)

1948, Game 5: The Boston Braves turned to Warren Spahn in relief after Cleveland scored four runs in the fourth for a 5-4 lead. Spahn pitched 52⁄3 innings of one-hit ball and the Braves won 11-5.

1957, Game 3: The Yankees’ Don Larsen, who had pitched the World Series’ only perfect game the year before (against the Dodgers), relieved Bob Turley in the second inning with the Yanks leading the Milwaukee Braves 3-1. Larsen allowed two runs but went the final 71⁄3 innings in a 12-3 rout.

1958, Game 7: Turley, after winning Game 5 with a complete game and getting the final out of a Game 6 victory, relieved Larsen in the third inning the following day against Milwaukee. He went the rest of the way, allowing just one run in 62⁄3 innings in a 6-2 win.

1971, Game 4: With Pittsburgh hosting the first night game in World Series history, Bruce Kison relieved Luke Walker two outs into the first inning and pitched 61⁄3 one-hit, scoreless innings as the Pirates beat Baltimore, 4-3.

1977, Game 4: Rick Rhoden, a 16-game winner during the regular season, wasn’t in the Dodgers’ World Series rotation but came out of the bullpen to pitch seven innings, allowing just two hits and a run, in a 4-2 L.A. win against the Yankees.