Yankees Fumbled Fifth Inning Helps Dodgers Win World Series
There will be no return trip to L.A. for the New York Yankees. Thanks to an unfathomable New York implosion that started in the top of the fifth inning of…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees walks off the field after being left on base during the eighth inning of Game Five of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)There will be no return trip to L.A. for the New York Yankees. Thanks to an unfathomable New York implosion that started in the top of the fifth inning of Game 5 and carried until Alex Verdugo struck out for the final out of the night, the Dodgers edged out the Yankees 7-6 to take the World Series in five games.
For a few innings, it felt like the Yankees would be on their way to sending the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6.
Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, and Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo shot in the fourth to stake New York to a 5-0 lead.
Then the bottom fell out in the top of the fifth as the Yankees fumbled it away.
Judge dropped a pop-up by Tommy Edman to get the ball rolling in the wrong direction. Then Anthony Volpe threw the ball away on an attempted play at third, allowing Kike Hernandez to reach safely.
Finally, Mookie Betts reached first base on an infield single when Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo miscommunicated who would get to the first base bag. The Dodgers scored a run on the play to make it 5-1.
The floodgates opened when Freddie Freeman lined a two-run single to center, and Toscar Hernandez tied the game on a loud two-run double to center.
All the runs were unearned to Cole's line. Give credit to Cole for bouncing back. He would return to pitch nearly two full innings of shutout baseball and left with the lead when New York scratched out a run on a Stanton Sac Fly in the sixth inning.
Still, the die was cast.
Tommy Kanhle and Luke Weaver struggled to get out of the eighth inning, as the Dodgers grabbed the lead right back.
Kanhle loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Will Lux hit a sac fly to drive in Kike Hernandez with the tying run.
Next Shohei Ohtani reached on catchers interference, a call that was challenged by the Yankees and upheld. After a balk was called on Weaver, Mookie Betts skied to center to drive in Edman with the winning run.
It was as much a Yankees collapse as it was the Dodgers doing the little things to take the Series in the Bronx.
The Yankees in 2024 were a good team, but a flawed one as well. They didn't do the fundamental things right all the time, and it showed in this World Series.
HOT STOVE
Now the off-season begins, and it will be a big one for the Yankees. Aaron Boone is expected back as manager, despite having an option year in 2025. According to reports, that is expected to be picked up and extended.
The big ticket item will be Juan Soto who is a free agent. Will he stay with the Yankees? Will he go across town to the Mets? We will find out soon. Buckle up for the busiest Hot Stove season of them all.
