the World Series, starting in the former while closing the last two innings of the latter. In Game 2, he was knocked out of the game before finishing an inning, allowing four hits and four runs on four batters faced as the Cubs lost 8–3, with Root being charged with the loss. In Game 4, he threw the eighth and ninth inning, allowing one hit with no runs, two strikeouts, and one walk although the Cubs lost 2–1; the team lost the Series two days later. Root did not have as much as success in 1938. He appeared in 44 games while starting 11 of them and finishing 20 of them, having 9 saves while going 8-7 with a 2.86 ERA and pitching 160 innings. He had 70 strikeouts and 30 walks. For the fourth time in nine years, the Cubs rallied to win the league pennant, rallying behind player-manager Gabby Hartnett. On September 28, the Cubs played the Pittsburgh Pirates for possession of first place in the standings, trailing by half a game. Root stepped in for Bill Lee in the ninth inning, allowing one hit with no runs to keep the score at 5 even in the last scheduled inning to play before darkness was set to hit Wrigley Field, which would mean a re-playing of the game the following day. In the bottom of the inning, with two outs, Hartnett hit a dramatic home run to win the game for the team and elevate them to first place in the league (with Root receiving credit for the win). Four days later, the Cubs clinched the pennant. In the World Series that year, he appeared in the fourth and final game against the Yankees, pitching the fourth, fifth, and sixth inning. He allowed three hits with one run (a home run to Tommy Henrich) as the Cubs lost 8-3. In six postseason starts spread out over nine years, Root pitched a total of 22 innings while allowing 26 hits, 18 runs with 15 strikeouts and six walks while losing three of the decisions and winning none. For his final year in 1941, Root went 8–7 with a 5.40 ERA (a career high) while pitching in 19 games, having six complete games in 106 innings of work. He allowed more hits and runs than the year before despite a reduced workload while having 46 strikeouts and 37 walks. In