Dodgers - Yankees summary online: stats, scores and highlights | 2024 MLB World Series Game 5 highlights
Los Angeles Dodgers win World Series in five games
Dodgers stay the course as Yankees collapse around them
What we witnessed here in the 2024 World Series has been nothing short of phenomenal. We saw the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, generally by the same team and often in the same inning.
A lot of questions have been raised for the Yankees on the back end of this loss and just as many questions have been laid to rest for the Dodgers. The first one of which is the dismissal of their 2020 championship win.
I'll be honest, I am one of the ones who has been often very critical of that win. And while my reasons for being so have not changed, one giant brick in my argument - namely the fact that the Dodgers always collapse in October after a long, full season - has now been taken out of that wall that I've built and propped my argument up. The Dodgers have not only survived into October, but have been resilient throughout.
An assumption that underpinned this concept I suppose is the way that the Dodgers have been always a very talented team, often the most talented team in all of MLB. But they came across as soft. When the going got tough they just fell apart. The difference this year has been their willingness to stand and fight.
Over in New York, there is a lot to be looked at this offseason. While they were completely outclassed and outgunned in the first three games, they made a powerful statement in Game 4, showing just what they are capable of. And tonight they were well on their way proving that they are still the all-time powerhouse in Major League Baseball.
And then in the most stunning inning of baseball that you will ever see in your life, they fell apart. A dropped flyball by Aaron Judge, a ball thrown into the ground by Anthony Volpe, Gerrit Cole somehow forgetting that he needed to cover first base, catchers interference a couple of innings later and suddenly a 5-0 lead becomes a 7-6 loss.
None of the runs scored by Los Angeles in the fifth inning were earned. Gerrit Cole went from working and no hitter to giving up five unearned runs in the blink of an eye.
Game 5, in truth, has been a microcosm of the entire 2024 season for both of these teams.
New York has been supremely talented put awfully unsteady in the fundamentals of the game. Their mind-boggling power got them to the World Series, but their mistakes were too great to overcome.
For Los Angeles, this season has been one of dogged determination. They put the ball in play, took walks when needed, leant heavily on their bullpen, and ground out wins. Sometimes ugly, but wins none the less.
In Game 5 we saw all of this take place.
It was perhaps poetic that the big superstar for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, was virtually silent in the World Series. Without him they never could have gotten as far as they did. But their play in the situation proved that they didn't need him to win the championship. With Ohtani doing basically nothing, they still managed to stifle the great Bronx bombers.
And while there were flashes of brilliance on both teams from lots of different players, the real standout star was Freddie Freeman. He was named the World Series MVP because, well of course he was. After all, who else could it be?
Freeman hit a home run in the first four games, including a walkoff in extra innings of Game 1, bringing his total to six home runs in six consecutive World Series games, going back to his days with the Atlanta Braves, an MLB record.
Freeman did not hit a home run in Game 5 but he did drive in two of the seven scored. And no one could have deserved that MVP recognition more than Freeman.
As far as the Yankees are concerned, they will need to really take a hard look in the mirror this winter. But for the Los Angeles Dodgers, all ghosts are laid to rest. Even from people like myself who undervalued what they had going on.
And while I am still critical of the extent to which Dave Roberts will use his bullpen and rely on short outings, I have to tip my hat to him and to everyone else in Los Angeles. This was a hard fought, well deserved win. So go ahead and celebrate. You deserve it.
And I promise I'll even stop criticizing 2020.
GOODBYE!!!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of the 2024 World Series, as the Los Angeles Dodgers are crowned Champions. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
We will return with more winter baseball coverage as well as the Caribbean Series coverage in the New Year. And of course, we can't wait for Spring Training 2025!
Until then, take care and God bless!
Freddie Freeman World Series MVP
Was there ever any doubt? It couldn't have been anyone else.
That was the largest comeback win in a clinching game in World Series history and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finally able to lay their post season ghosts to rest. 2020 was no fluke. They can indeed win in October.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2024 World Series Champions: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
DODGERS WIN!!!
Alex Verdugo the final out for the Yankees and he goes down swinging on four pitches! That is it! The Dodgers win! They are World Series Champions!
K
Austin Wells the hitter now and he works the count full before the payoff delivery from Buehler is a peach of a breaking ball that gets Wells swinging for strike three! What a pitch!
Bottom 9th
Anthony Volpe will lead off and the Yankees have just three outs left in their season as it stands.
He works the count to 2-2 before grounding a breaking ball to third. Muncy throws to first and it is one out.
Pitching Change
Dave Roberts will bring in Walker Buehler to try and close this out. Chris Taylor will stay in the game as the left fielder.
Will Smith the hitter now and the first delivery is grounded to third base. Chisholm grabs it and makes the long throw to first to end the inning.
We head to the bottom of the ninth with the Yankees trailing 7-6.
Tommy Edman will face the new pitcher with two on and one out. He works a full count before the payoff pitch from Leiter is a beautiful curveball that gets him swinging for strike three. Two away.
Pitching Change
Aaron Boone comes out of the dugout and calls on Mark Leiter Jr. to take over from a spent Luke Weaver.
walk
On five pitches, Weaver lets Kiké off the hook and issues the walk.
Three pickoff moves = Balk
Kiké Hernández up now and Weaver picks over to first base to keep Taylor honest. He does it again and when he does it a third time, Taylor is awarded second base.
Under the new MLB rules that is now considered a balk.
Max Muncy the hitter now and he jumps on the first pitch, lining it to right field but Juan Soto is there to make the catch for the first out.
Pinch runner
Chris Taylor will run for Teoscar hernández
Top 9th
Teoscar Hernández leads things off for the Dodgers and Weaver is still in there for the Yankees. He pokes a ground ball through to left field for a leadof single.
Anthony Rizzo the batter now and he gets into a hole 0-2 real fast. Treinen misses with the next one and it is 1-2.
A big sweeper gets Rizzo to swing and miss for strike three! Treinen gets out of trouble here!
Giancarlo Stanton up now with runners on first and second and one out. He lifts the first pitch he sees to shallow right field. Mookie Betts charges it and makes the catch. Two gone.
walk
Jazz Chisholm up to the plate and he gets walked on five pitches.
Double to left
Aaron Judge the hitter now and he works the count full before Treinen's payoff delivery is ripped down the third base line! It squirts into the corner and Judge is in at second with a standup double!
Bottom 8th
Juan Soto leads things off for the Yankees in the eighth and Blake Treinen gets ahead 1-2 before Soto rolls one to Freeman at first. The throw to Treinen coverning the bag at first beats Soto by a step. One out.
Freddie Freeman the hitter now with men on the corners and two outs. He works the count to 2-2 before chasing a breaking ball low and away for strike three.
The Dodgers have pulled off something of a miracle, coming back from 5-0 down to take the lead now 7-6!
Dodgers score!!!
Mookie Betts now comes to the plate with the bases full and one out. He cranks one to deep center field. Judge takes the catch but Edman tags up and the Dodgers have taken the lead! Insane!!!!
Catcher's interference
Shohei Ohtani the hitter and he fouls one off but Austin Wells' mitt is hit in the process. Catcher's interference and Ohtani gets first base!
Dodgers score!!!
Gavin Lux the hitter now and this is just the maximum stressful moment in the sporting world. Nothing else comes close!
Weaver misses with the first pitch before dropping a fastball in for a strike. A changeup hits the dirt for ball two.
Lux can't check his swing and it is 2-2. Another miss and the count runs full.
The payoff delivery from Weaver is lifted to center field. Aaron Judge takes it for the out but Kiké tags at third and scores on the play. Edman tags and moves up to third. The Dodgers level the score!
Pitching change
Tommy Kahnle just doesn't have it today and Aaron Boone comes out to the mound to take the baseball out of his hand. Luke Weaver will come on with the bases loaded and no outs!
walk
Will Smith the hitter now with two on and nobody out and he draws a walk on four pitches to load the bases!
Infield hit
Tommy Edman up now and on the first pitch, breaks his bat on a roller to the gap at short. Volpe dives and makes the nab but has no play on an infield hit.
Top 8th
Kiké Hernández leads off and he rips a line drive single to left field.
Pitching Change
The Yankees go back to their pen and tap Tommy Kahnle for Clay Holmes.
The story of the game
In one image, we see the story of the game. Zero earned runs, for five unearned. Gerrit Cole was dominant, but the Yankees defense was atrocious in that fifth inning.
Gleyber Torres to the plate now and he shatters his bat on a grounder to third. Muncy fields it and goes to first to end the inning.
ꓘ
Alex Verdugo the hitter now and he works a 2-2 count before watching a backdoor slider called for strike three. Two gone.
Bottom 7th
Austin Wells leads things off for the Yankees and he fouls off two, the final one into Smith's mitt for strike three.
ꓘ
Max Muncy the hitter now and he works the count full before Holmes' payoff delivery drops in for a called strike three. The Dodgers strand two.
walk
Teoscar Hernández will face the new pitcher with the tying run on first base. Holmes misses on four straight pitchs that were not even close.
Pitching change
Aaron Boone strides out to the mound and relieves Gerrit Cole. The crowd are on their feet, ecstatic at what he has accomplished tonight and this season.
Clay Holmes will come out and try to shut the Dodgers down.
walk
Freddie Freeman up now and he draws a walk on five pitches.
Mookie Betts the hitter now and he taps one right back to the mound. Cole fields it and goes to first for the second out.
Top 7th
Gerrit Cole, incredibly, stays out there for the seventh and he faces the top of the Dodgers order in Shohei Ohtani who taps a roller up the middle. Volpe fields it and goes to first for out number one.
Anthony Volpe will face the new pitcher with runners on first and second and two outs. He works the count full before Treinen's payoff is rolled to second and Gavin Lux goes to first to end the inning.
The Yankees retake the lead on a Giancarlo Stanton sac fly. We are now 6-5 Yankees after six.
Pitching change
Dave Roberts wastes no time in calling on Blake Treinen to take over on the mound.
walk
Anthony Rizzo the hitter now with a runner on second. He runs the count full before the payoff delivery misses inside. That is the third walk this inning.
Sacrifice fly! Yankees score!!!
Giancarlo Stanton jumps on the first pitch and hits it to deep center field. Kiké makes the catch on the warning track but it is deep enough to score Soto from third. Chisholm tags up and moves to second.
Jazz Chisholm up now with runners on first and second and nobody out. He whifs through a high fastball and tries a bunt that goes foul before chopping one to second base. Lux goes to second for one but with Chisholm's speed there is no chance of a play at first.
walk
Aaron Judge the hitter now and he works the count full before the payoff delivery from Graterol just misses for a walk. I am not sure about that one. It looked like a strike to me!
Bottom 6th
Juan Soto leads off for the Yankees and he works a full count before Graterol's payoff delivery misses high for a leadoff walk.
Pitching Change
The Dodgers bring out Brusdar Graterol to take over on the mound.
Gavin Lux the hitter now and he lifts a fly ball to shallow right center field. Juan Soto charges it and puts it away to end the inning.
K
Will Smith the hitter now and he works the count 2-2 before Cole blazes a 98mph fastball past him for strike three. Two down.
Top 6th
Incredibly, Gerrit Cole stays in the game for the Yankees and he faces Tommy Edman to lead things off. Edman lifts a fly ball to left field and Alex Verdugo is there. One away.
Gleyber Torres the hitter now with the bases loaded and two outs. He can't catch up to a fastball and takes another before tapping one out to right field for Mookie Betts. The Dodgers get out of a jam and the Yankees strand three runners.
walk
Alex Verdugo the hitter now with two outs and runners on first and second. Vesia misses with three pitches before landing a strike in there. The 3-1 delivery misses low and inside and the Yankees have the bases loaded.
Hit by pitch
Austin Wells to stand in for the Yankees now and he takes two balls before one rides too far inside and hits him.
single to right
Anthony Volpe up to the plate now and he lasers a shot to right field for a single.
Anthony Rizzo the hitter now and he hits a fly ball toward the gap in right center but Kiké covers a lot of ground to make the catch. Two away.
Bottom 5th
Giancarlo Stanton leads off and he breaks his bat on a ground ball to second. Lux goes to first for one out.
Pitching Change
Alex Vesia replaces Michael Kopech for the Dodgers
All things old are new again, and we now have a brand new ballgame. All tied up 5-5 after Gerrit Cole was so dominant through four.
Kiké Hernández comes up again after starting this melée off with a leadoff single. He now has two on and two out. He raps a grounder up the middle but Volpe fields it and touches second base to put this nightmare of an inning for the Yankees out of its misery.
walk
Max Muncy the hitter now and he is walked on five pitches. Runners are now on first and second.
Dodgers score!!!
Teoscar Hernández the hitter now and the Yankees are all out of sorts right now. The wind has definitely shifted toward Los Angeles.
Teoscar rips a blast to center field, over Judge's head! Two runs score! The game is tied! This is insane for the Dodgers, disgraceful for the Yankees!
Dodgers score!!!
Freddie Freeman up now with the bases still loaded and two outs. This is the worst conceivable outcome for New York.
He rips a single up the middle and two more runs score! Men are now on the corners and the Dodgers have clawed three back!
Dodgers score!!!!
Mookie Betts up now and he rips a ground ball to Rizzo at first. Nobody is covering the bag and he beats Rizzo back to it! That was a fielding error on Gerrit Cole right as he was about to get out with no damage! What a terrible defensive play! The Dodgers get on the board!
K
Shohei Ohtani the hitter now and the first 50/50 club member smells blood with the bases loaded. He swings for the fences on the first pitch, again on a high heater, before getting twisted up on a low braking ball!
That was big time. Like proper ball-balls from Cole!
K
Gavin Lux the hitter now and Gerrit Cole goes straight after him and sits him down swinging on a sinker and two 99mph fastballs that just blew past Lux.
Throwing Error
Will Smith up to the plate with two on and nobody out. Cole grinds down on the low fastballs and runs the count to 2-2.
He hits the next one to short and Volpe goes to third with the throw and just puts it in the dirt! Everybody safe and the bases are loaded on two fielding errors!
Fielding Error
Tommy Edman the hitter now and he digs himself into a hole at 0-2. The changeup from Cole is fouled off and then the next pitch is hit straight to center field and Aaron Judge takes his eye off of it, looking at Kiké and the ball pops out of his glove! What an error!
Top 5th
Kiké Hernández leads things off for LA and jumps on the first pitch, roping into right field for a leadoff single.
ꓘ
Jazz Chisholm to the plate and he fouls off four pitches, taking one for a ball to make it 1-2.
The sixth pitch just barely misses inside and it runs to 2-2 before the next pitch, a 99mph fastball is called strike three.
Aaron Judge the hitter now with runners on first and second and he blasts a shot to the moon but got under it a bit and it comes down and into Teoscar Hernández's glove in left field. That was incredibly high!
single to right
Juan Soto up now and he jumps on the first pitch, slapping a single into right field. Verdugo moves to second.
Gleyber Torres sends the first pitch straight up on the left side of the infield. Tommy Edman calls Chisholm off and puts it away for out number one.
Bottom 4th
Alex Verdugo leads off for the Yankees and he works the count full before the payoff delivery from Kopech misses outside for a leadoff walk.
Pitching Change
Sticking to his bullpen plan, Roberts calls on Michael Kopech to take over the pitching duties.
Max Muncy at the plate now with Betts on second and two outs. He raps a shot to center field but Judge is there to put it away and end the inning. The Dodgers strand a runner.
Teoscar Hernández the hitter now and he chops a high bouncer to short. Volpe's only play is to first and the throw is just in time, beating Teoscar by half a step.
Freddie Freeman the hitter now and he ropes a long fly ball to center field and Aaron Judge tracks it and leaps up to make the catch at the wall! What a catch! That was so close to a home run for Freeman.
Top 4th
Mookie Betts leads off for the Dodgers and he works the count to full before Cole's payoff delivery misses up high for a leadoff walk. That is his second of the game.
Austin Wells the hitter now and he works the count to 1-2 before a breaking ball low catches him unable to check his swing for strike three.
The Yankees tack on one more on a Giancarlo Stanton solo blast and now lead 5-0!
Anthony Volpe up to the plate now and he lifts a lazy drifter to right center field. Betts gets under it and puts it away. Two down.
Anthony Rizzo the hitter and he smokes a line drive to right field but Mookie Betts covers a ton of ground to make the sliding catch! That is a big time play by Betts!
Bottom 3rd
Giancarlo Stanton leads off and jumps on the first delivery and it flies a long way to right! That is out of here! Home run Stanton!
Pitching Change
That Dodgers bullpen is in full swing now and Ryan Brasier takes over on the mound.
Shohei Ohtani the hitter and he fouls two off before lifting a change up to left field but Verdugo is there to put it away.
walk
Gavin Lux stands in now and he works the count full. The payoff delivery misses high and Lux draws the walk. That is the first walk for Cole and the first baserunner for the Dodgers.
Will Smith the hitter now and he lifts a pitch that was thrown in on the knuckles straight up on the right side. Rizzo gets under it and it is two away.
Top 3rd
Tommy Edman leads things off for the Dodgers and he fouls off the first four pitches. The 0-2 delivery catches him off guard and he watches a called strike three on the bottom rung. One down.
ꓘ
Jazz Chisholm comes to the plate and he taps a roller to Freeman who flips to Banda covering the bag at first. Chisholm dives and nearly beats the throw but that ends the inning. The Yankees strand three and lead 4-0 after two.
walk
Aaron Judge comes to the plate now with two on and two out and he has his mojo back. He works the count to 3-1 before Banda delivers a slider low and the bases are loaded!
walk
Soto fouls one off and another misses to even the count at 2-2.
Banda misses outside and the count is full. The payoff delivery is in the dirt again and Soto is walked. The ball skips away from Smith but down the third base line so Verdugo stays put.
wild pitch
Juan Soto up now and he whiffs through a slider for strike one. The next pitch is in the dirt and Will Smith can't quite locate it. Verdugo takes off and gets second on the play.
ꓘ
Top of the order and Gleyber Torres faces the new pitcher. He watches three pitches go by and is called out on strikes.
Pitching Change
That is going to be it on a short outing for Jack Flaherty as Dave Roberts goes to that formidible bullpen for Anthony Banda.
Yankees score!!!
Alex Verdugo the hitter now and he takes three breaking balls that miss for a 3-0 count before Flaherty paints the edge of the zone with a fastball.
The 3-1 is ripped into right field just over the leaping glove of Lux and Volpe scores from third!
Austin Wells up now and he takes a ball before nubbing a ground ball to first for Freeman. The flip to Flaherty covering the bag gets the first out as Volpe moves up to third on the play.
Bottom 2nd
Anthony Volpe leads things off for the Yankees and it was his grand slam yesterday that kicked off the comeback for this team and he picks right up where he left off with a double ripped down the third base line!
Kiké Hernández stands in and lifts a high fly ball to right field but Juan Soto gets under it and ends the inning. Once again the Dodgers go down in order.
ꓘ
Max Muncy to the plate now and Cole stays aggressive, dropping in two fastballs for strikes. His third delivery misses and Muncy fouls off another heater.
The 1-2 is a 97mph fastball on the bottom rail and Muncy knows it. Two out
Top 2nd
Teoscar Hernández leads things off for the Dodgers and they are an offense who can strike back at will. They need to do it now and keep this game in reach.
Cole delivers a strike before the second pitch is fouled back. The 0-2 delivery just misses, and that looked like a strike.
The 1-2 is a beautiful slider that catches Hernández swinging. One away.
ꓘ
Anthony Rizzo the hitter now and he works the count full before Flaherty finally finds the zone for a called strike three.
The inning ends, but not before the Yankees stamp a huge three run first inning on the game and boy did they need that! After one, the Yankees lead 3-0.
Giancarlo Stanton stands in now and this stadium is rocking! He takes three balls before watching a strike on the bottom rung.
He lifts a fly ball to center field and Kiké Hernández stumbles before recovering to make the catch. Two out.
Jazz Chisholm HOME RUN!!!
Jazz Chisholm the hitter now and he follows Judge up with a blast of his own! My word, that was launched a mile!!!
Home run to right field!!!! The Yankees are teeing off!!!
Aaron Judge HOME RUN!!!
Aaron Judge up now and on the first pitch, he crushes it to right center and it is a no doubter!!! This is gone!!!
Two run home run!!!
walk
Juan Soto up to the plate now and he takes five pitches for a walk. He ran it to 3-0 and then took a beefy fastball before Flaherty misses with a breaking pitch.
Bottom 1st
Jack Flaherty is on the mound for the Dodgers and Gleyber Torres will lead things off for the Yankees. Flaherty had an outstanding Game 1 and his first pitch tonight is a fastball blown right past Torres. Another called strike and he is pitching agressively.
A breaking ball misses low before Torres pokes one off the end of the bat to second. Gavin Lux fields it and goes to first for out number one.
Freddie Freeman up to the plate and he takes two strikes before lifting a routine fly ball to Alex Verdugo in left to end the inning.
Mookie Betts now the hitter and he takes a ball and a strike before nubbing one off the end of the bat down to first base. Anthony Rizzo fields it and steps on the bag for the second out.
Top 1st
Shohei Ohtani leads off for the Dodgers and reports of his shoulder injury being worse than first thought have a huge question mark over him. Gerrit Cole is the Yankees' ace and look for him to pitch aggressively, keeping it low in the box.
The first pitch is a fastball that is lifted to shallow center field. Aaron Judge gets under it and it is one pitch, one out.
PLAY BALL!
The Yankees are on the field, Gerrit Cole is on the mound. The fans are loud and on their feet. The umpires are ready as Shohei Ohtani will lead off for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Let's PLAY BALL!!!
ALMOST THERE!
Go get the chips and the drinks. Order the pizza and get the hot wings out of the oven. Walk the dog and take out the trash. We are almost ready for the first pitch and you won't want to miss it.
For the Dodgers, tonight is about survival, too, though of a different kind. Roberts knows that another Yankees win could tilt momentum dangerously close to New York, and they aren’t looking to let that happen. Freeman’s power at the plate will be crucial, but so will the depth that Roberts has lined up in the bullpen, ready to shore up Flaherty if he falters. They’re one win from glory, but the Dodgers know well enough that momentum in baseball can swing on a single hit. For both teams, Game 5 is an edge, a moment, and maybe a lifetime, waiting to play out.
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The Yankees’ locker room is in a delicate balance - focused yet trying not to let the weight of the moment crush them. “If you put too much pressure on it, you’re going to fail yourself,” says Austin Wells, reflecting the fine line the Yankees are walking. They’ve battled back from a 3-0 hole to bring a spark back to the Bronx, but each inning brings new tension. The 2004 ALCS looms large, a reminder of the last team to claw out of this deficit, though it was against the Yankees. Now, they’re aiming to pull off that feat from the opposite dugout, and the fans can feel the weight of history pressing in around them.
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Gerrit Cole carries the Yankees’ hopes tonight with a pitcher’s quiet but steely resolve. He’s felt the weight of big games before, but this one feels different, and not just because it’s the Yankees’ last lifeline. His six-inning gem in Game 1 wasn’t enough, yet he’s hungry to give the Dodgers’ bats another fight under the lights. “We’re excited to get back out there,” he says, a nod to both the challenge and the chance to keep his team alive. There’s no mistaking the stakes, and if any arm in New York can keep the Dodgers at bay for one more night, it’s his.
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For the Dodgers, tonight is about closing the door. The Series could end right here in Game 5, and they’re counting on Jack Flaherty to make it so. Their bullpen is rested, their bats are charged, and Manager Dave Roberts isn’t looking to stretch things into a Game 6 if he can help it. Despite the stumble in Game 4, the Dodgers haven’t lost any confidence. Their lineup still feels like a machine, anchored by Freddie Freeman, who’s homered in every game this Series. “We’re set up well,” Roberts said, the poise clear in his words as he prepared his squad to clinch their eighth title. For Los Angeles, the champagne is ready - they just need nine innings to keep it cold in Yankee Stadium.
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Yankee Stadium hums with an electric edge tonight as fans pour in, each pitch of Game 5 feeling like a heartbeat for a team fighting for its season. With Gerrit Cole back on the mound, New York looks to stoke the flame that ignited in Game 4, where the offense finally roared to life in an 11-4 victory. The Yankees know they’re standing at the edge - three games down, one bad inning away from watching the Dodgers celebrate in their house. But for now, the Bronx believes, and with Cole ready to go, every at-bat carries that simmering, raw hope that only October baseball in New York can summon.
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LINEUPS
The Home Team
Yankees Batting Order
1. Gleyber Torres, (R) 2B
2. Juan Soto, (L) RF
3. Aaron Judge, (R) CF
4. Jazz Chisholm, (L) 3B
5. Giancarlo Stanton, (R) DH
6. Anthony Rizzo, (L) 1B
7. Anthony Volpe, (R) SS
8. Austin Wells, (L) C
9. Alex Verdugo, (L) LF
Manager: Aaron Boone
Pitching coach: Matt Blake
The Visitors
Dodgers Batting Order
1. Shohei Ohtani, (L) DH
2. Mookie Betts, (R) RF
3. Freddie Freeman, (L) 1B
4. Teoscar Hernández, (R) LF
5. Max Muncy, (L) 3B
6. Kiké Hernández, (R) CF
7. Tommy Edman, (S) SS
8. Will Smith, (R) C
9. Gavin Lux, (L) 2B
Manager: Dave Roberts
Pitching coach: Mark Prior
STARTING PITCHERS SEASON STATS
NEW YORK YANKEES
Gerrit Cole RHP
8 - 5
3.41 ERA
99 K
95.0 IP
1.13 WHIP
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Jack FlahertyRHP
13 - 7
3.17 ERA
194 K
162.0 IP
1.07 WHIP
PITCHING
The Yankees' bullpen is tested, their starting staff pushed to the brink, yet they head into Game 5 with just enough hope to make it a tense affair at Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers’ bullpen, meanwhile, is rested and ready after a collective performance in Game 4 that kept New York’s bats honest, even if the Yankees walked away with the win. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has kept his high-leverage arms fresh, making sure they can go toe-to-toe with Cole’s intensity. With one game separating the Dodgers from their eighth World Series title and the Yankees from the offseason, both teams will pull out all the stops.
NEW YORK YANKEES: Gerrit Cole
Cole’s ready to face the fire once more. Four days after a dominant Game 1 performance in Los Angeles where he held the Dodgers to just one run on four hits over six intense innings, he’s back with renewed fire in front of a Bronx crowd. Cole's fastball has been humming at high velocity, mixing in his sharp-breaking slider to keep Dodgers hitters guessing. His confidence is contagious; he knows it, and his teammates know it too. "Hey, we’re still in the World Series. Hey, we’re in the Bronx," he said, voicing what the Yankees faithful already believe. With Freeman a constant threat and a lineup that’s relentless, Cole’s margin for error is slim. But if there’s one man for this moment, it’s Cole.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty gets the start for the Dodgers, carrying the calm precision of a pitcher who’s been in high-stakes spots before. While his postseason performances have been a mixed bag, his strength lies in his ability to command his fastball and play his off-speed pitches against eager hitters like the Yankees. With the Dodgers’ bullpen deep and rested, he doesn’t have to go the distance; he just has to set the tone. Flaherty knows the importance of keeping Yankees sluggers like Judge and Torres from breaking open the game, as one spark in Yankee Stadium can turn into a blaze. But he’s been solid when his team needs him, and the Dodgers’ manager trusts that Flaherty will keep the Yankees bats in check long enough for his high-leverage relievers to do the rest.
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of Game 5 of the 2024 World Series as the Yankees try to keep their momentum going to claw their way back into the fight in front of a home crowd determined to make their presence felt against the Dodgers.
Game 5 of the World Series isn’t just another night in the Bronx. This is the season’s tipping point, where either champagne flows or bags are packed for both the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees have clawed back from a 3-0 deficit, and with Gerrit Cole taking the mound on Wednesday night, they look to stave off elimination once more. Cole pitched six steady innings in Game 1, holding the Dodgers to a single run, and he’s hoping to spark another surge for a Yankees team that now has just a flicker of hope left.
The Dodgers, however, have the upper hand and are hunting their eighth title, with their last victory in a full season going all the way back to 1988. They dropped Game 4 in a surprisingly lopsided loss, 11-4, but they’re not shaken. Los Angeles is deep, and they’ve managed their bullpen well. Manager Dave Roberts looks ready to deploy his top relief arms in support of starter Jack Flaherty, keeping a keen eye on securing the Series while they still hold the momentum. “We’re in a great spot with leverage relievers,” Roberts says, knowing they’re rested and ready to finish the job if the opportunity arises.
At the heart of this matchup, the Yankees’ ace remains as hopeful as ever. Cole himself seems undaunted by the Dodgers’ relentless offense, especially the bat of Freddie Freeman, who has homered in every single game so far. Cole knows the stakes and seems to relish them: “We’re excited to get back out there,” he says, emphasizing that the Yankees aren’t giving up yet. “Hey, we’re still in the World Series. Hey, we’re in the Bronx. We’ve still got a shot at this thing.”
Yankees catcher Austin Wells echoes that sentiment, adding a reminder about the mindset of a team in survival mode. “If you put too much pressure on it at this point, you’re going to fail yourself,” he says. The Yankees are trying to stay loose, remembering that nobody expects perfection when you’re clawing your way back from a 3-0 series hole. But every fan in Yankee Stadium knows that Cole’s pitching will either keep that lifeline steady or break it.
For Yankees fans, Game 4 was an exhilarating reprieve, but they’re all too aware of the mountain still ahead. The Yankees need to win three more in a row, a feat only achieved once in postseason history when the 2004 Boston Red Sox famously overcame a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees themselves in the ALCS. The Bronx Bombers are hoping to rewrite that chapter from the other side this time around.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, are aiming to wrap things up before the Series slips out of their control. Freeman’s hot bat will be crucial, and the Dodgers aren’t likely to take their foot off the gas this time. Roberts and the team’s leadership trust in their depth, having already lined up high-leverage bullpen arms who are more than ready to back Flaherty if things start looking tight.
The Yankees have shown they can bounce back, but to keep this Series alive, they’ll need more than just Cole’s arm. They’ll need discipline, timely hitting, and a crowd that can sense the gravity of every single pitch. As Cole said, “anything can happen” — and with two teams like these, anything just might.