Tommy Pham had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored, but his night hit a snag after he got picked off second base by Jordan Montgomery. The pickoff happened in a tight spot—two outs and a runner in scoring position during a one-run game. Montgomery changed up his look just enough to catch Pham leaning. After the tag, Montgomery fired a comment toward the dugout that seemed to call Pham a dumb [expletive], setting off some minor tension. Pham didn’t take it lightly, but also didn’t let it overshadow his performance.
Earlier in the game, Pham showed off his speed and approach at the plate. He beat out an infield single, doubled down the line twice, and then capped his day with a line drive single up the middle. He clearly saw Montgomery’s pitching patterns and used them to take big secondary leads. But on that final trip to second base, Monty broke his rhythm, looked back twice instead of once, and picked him off clean.
In a twist, Pham passed on the chance to go 5-for-5 in the World Series. He asked his manager to let his friend Jace Peterson get an at-bat instead. Peterson appreciated the gesture and said Pham showed real character. Some fans were upset, thinking they lost a shot at a bit of history, but Pham made it clear it was his call and done for a teammate. A great game from Pham on both sides—production at the plate and selflessness in the dugout.