The Dodgers are champs! Read all about it!

Trophy time!

On the wheeled in stage, the owner of the Dodgers, Stan Kasten, gets a taste of the hardware, before the President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman says a few words. Now manager Dave Roberts says “this trophy belongs to everybody”, which isn’t true but a very nice sentiment. And I accept!

“Oh my! World Champions!” – Dave Roberts

Oh, and Freeman formally is awarded the Willie Mays MVP award.

“This is everything…this is it right here. Not this, that one!”

-Freddie Freeman, who drove in 12 runs this series, distinguishing between the MVP trophy and the World Series trophy.

MVP

It’s not official yet, but it’s got to be Freddie, right? I mean, what didn’t he do?

New York, New York

If you grew up in a house with a Brooklyn Dodgers fan like I did, you understand the significance of a Dodgers team winning a title inside the five boroughs. Baseball’s bible-esque super story of the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants and Mets is central to the sport and lives on as the team from Flatbush celebrate a title in LA.

How it ended

From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the Dodgers are champions for an eighth time in franchise history. And it’s the fourth time they have beaten New York in doing so.

Can you believe it?

We were in the fifth inning and wondering how Roberts would manage the Dodgers staff to make sure they were fresh for a Game 6 in LA. But there isn’t going to be a Game 6 because the Dodgers have completed the biggest comeback in a World Series clinching victory. And because the Yankees completely fell apart, committing mental error after mental error in a ghastly performance that showed exactly what they are, which is a team that wasn’t true World Series caliber.

But never mind that – LA celebrate a non-shortened season title for the first time since 1988. Yes, they have a loaded roster, but they’re an extraordinary club who deserve to be champs. And also, manager Dave Roberts has come a very long way – he was tremendous pulling the strings for the Dodgers in this series.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 9th

Wells whiffs at a breaking ball! LA are an out away from a title! And it’s up to Alex Verdugo, which no Yankee fan ever wants to see, ever!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 9th

Low and in – full count!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 9th

Wells fouls one off and the at-bat continues!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 9th

It’s 2-2 and very tense at Yankee Stadium right now!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 9th

Volpe grounds to third – Muncy makes the play, fires to first, in time to get the first out of this inning! Two to go for LA, and here is Austin Wells!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 9th

Now Buehler, a beautiful pitcher who has been destroyed by injuries, was having an awful year before finding his old self against the Mets in the NLCS. But this is a very different situation and a very tall order.

Volpe is at the plate.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Leiter gets Smith to ground out to Chisholm who makes a spin-o-rama play at third before making the throw. That’s one heck of a play from a guy who never played the hot corner until recently. Great work.

That said, the Dodgers take the field three outs from a World Series title! And here comes Walker Buehler, a starter, who pitched two days ago, to try and pitch LA into the history books!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Edman waves at a curveball – strike three! A huge out by Leiter! Can he get out of this jam? Will Smith is next! Two down.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Full count to Edman!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

The Yankees have committed three errors tonight and that doesn’t even come close to telling the story of the shoddiest play I’ve ever seen from a World Series team.

Edman is even in the count 2-2.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Hernandez walks because Weaver is completely done, as everyone on the planet and Pluto knows.

First and second, one out, Edman coming up, Mark Leiter Jr coming in.

And nothing against Mark Leiter Jr, but I wouldn’t want the season on his shoulders.

That said, hey, you never know, right?

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Weaver throws over to first base for a third time, and he’s not allowed to do that!

That’s a balk! More mental mistakes for the Yankees! Good lord is this real?

So that insurance run is now in scoring position for Hernandez.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Muncy smokes a ball to right but Soto is there for the first out. Here’s Kike Hernandez with one out and one on.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 9th

Hernandez starts off the Dodger ninth with a base hit to left off Weaver! And Weaver must be exhausted, but really, NY have no one left of consequence.

Chris Taylor runs for Hernandez.

If…

…LA win this game it will be because the Yankees threw it away with both hands. And because Treinen and his manager have some serious stones.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

Treinen is ahead 0-2 on Rizzo!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

Stanton pops the first pitch he sees into foul grond ion the right side! Betts is there – he makes the catch! Two down!

It’s up to Rizzo in the Yankees eighth! Roberts is sticking with Treinen. It’s big boy time!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

Ball four almost hits Chisholm. Two on, one out for Stanton.

Roberts is coming to the mound. Treinen has to be gassed, but LA’s skipper is going to stick with him!

I think that’s a mistake. He looks done to me.

Burt we’ll find out who is right soon!

Here we go!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

A pitch high in the strike zone – Chisholm was on his way to first! But it’s 3-1.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

3-0 to Chisholm!

Stanton is on deck!

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

Judge cracks a double down the left field line! Muncy came very close to catching that ball at third base – wow!

So life for the Yankees as a hit can tie perhaps this game.

Treinen is over 30 pitches. Ouch!

Chisholm at the plate.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

Full count!

Foul back.

We'll do it again…

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

Judge fouls one back. It’s even at 2-2.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

It’s 2-1 to Judge…

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, bottom 8th

OK, so it’s actually Soto leading off, facing Treinen, who has 21 pitches facing some very big bats.

And Soto grounds to first: Freeman has it and tosses to Treinen. One out.

Here’s Judge in the biggest at-bat of his career.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 8th

Freeman chases a pitch low and away – strike three! So the Yankees get a crucial out and end the inning to stay in touch. It’s still a disaster for new York, who surrender two runs and the lead thanks to a broken bat hit and an interference call of all things. What a mess!

The good news for NY? Soto is leading off.

Dodgers 7-6 Yankees, top 8th

Two down and runners at the corners for Freddie Freeman, who can give LA some insurance with a knock here.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Full count! Wow!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Check swing. Did he go? Yes he did! It’s 2-2!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Ball in the dirt – Lux ahead 2-1.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Here we go! Weaver v Lux in a season defining spot! Bases full, Yanks up a run, nobody out!

How will it end?

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

OK, Boone comes to get Kahnle, which was a bad selection to begin with. Luke Weaver will come in for the third straight game to do some heavy, heavy lifting. The good news for New York fans? Weaver may be crazy enough to not give a damn about the situation he’s just been dropped in.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Rizzo creeps in at first base for a bunt that’s not going to happen. No idea what he is thinkng. But it’s 3-1!

And now it’s ball four!

Bases loaded, nobody out!

If Boone doesn’t get Kahnle now he’s crazy.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Meeting at the mound…it’s quiet in the Bronx. You can see this coming a mile away, and it’s not good for Yankees fans.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

And Hernandez singles to left! Yup! The changeup thing against the Dodgers? I’m a skeptic.

And then Edman has a broken bat infield hit!

See what I’m saying?

Will Smith is up, and again, he is due!!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 8th

Tommy Kahnle is in for New York, which is scary for me if I’m a Yankees fan. He faces Kike Hernandez.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, bottom 7th

Torres grounds out to third. Inning over. To the eighth!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, bottom 7th

Verdugo watches a sweeper on the corner – strike three. Two down. Here is Torres.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, bottom 7th

Treinen is back out for the eighth and strikes out Wells. One down for Verdugo.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Muncy is stunned by the sweeper – strike three! LA leave two runners as the Yankees take a tiny lead into the stretch!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Full count! That just missed up and away!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Muncy fouls off a pitch – it’s 1-2.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Five straight balls from Holmes. Then finally a strike. It’s 1-1.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Hernandez walks. So a pair of two-out runners for Max Muncy in a huge spot right here.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Now it’s 3-0.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Hernandez is ahead in the count, 2-0.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Cole walks Freeman and now here comes Aaron Boone to get Cole, an out short of seven innings. He wanted to stay in but he heads to the dugout and is saluted by the fans. He gave up five runs, though none were earned.

Clay Holmes comes in to try and get Hernandez for the third out.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Betts hits a come-backer to Cole who makes the stab! He throws to first for the out! Two down, and Freddie Freeman steps to the plate.

Cole on 105 pitches.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, top 7th

Cole is back out for more, which makes sense to me. He’s facing Ohtani, who is definitely not right. He grounds out to second for the first out.

Here’s Mookie Betts.

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, bottom 6th

The count is full to Volpe! The runners on first and second will run with the pitch. Treinen deals, and Volpe grounds to second – Lux has it, makes the throw to first, side retired!

But the Yankees regain the lead!

Dodgers 5-6 Yankees, bottom 6th

Rizzo walks. That’s Graterol’s third walk so Roberts has had enough of that nonsense and is bringing in his biggest gun to keep this game close. Closer Blake Treinen is on his way to the mound.

NY need to get more runs in an inning where three batters walk, I’m just going to make that extra clear.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 6th

Chisholm bounces to second – Lux tosses to Edman to get the force, but that’s it. So runners at the corners for Giancarlo Stanton, who bats with everyone in the ballpark on its feet.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 6th

Chisholm squares to bunt! It’s foul and now he’s down in the count 0-2!

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 6th

Judge walks as Graterol barely misses on the up and outside part of the zone. Two on, nobody out. Here’s Jazz Chisholm, who homered earlier, in a huge spot in this ballgame.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 6th

It’s 3-2 to Judge.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 6th

Soto walks. Yikes. Now Judge is coming up. Can he make up for that insane drop in center field in the fifth?

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 6th

Brusdar Graterol is in, so this should be fun. He starts off by throwing in the direction of Juan Soto, who is quickly up in the count 2-0.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, top 6th

Lux pops out, inning over. Cole is on 87 pitches but bounced back well that inning. I wouldn’t be so quick to take him out. It’s his last start of the season – go batter by batter in the seventh.

Oh, apparently we haven’t had a pitcher throw 100 pitches in the postseason in two years, some 27 games? Did I hear FOX TV in the US right? If so is totally pathetic.

Judge is coming up this inning for NY.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, top 6th

Cole reaches back and blows a fastball by Smith. Two down.

It’s up to Lux in the Dodger sixth.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, top 6th

Edman pops out to left. One down. Here’s Smith, who I continue to believe is due.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

Torres pops out to left. Inning over!

New York can’t take advantage of Vesia, who eventually gets that all-important shut down inning.

What an inning. What does Cole have left?

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

Vesia walks Verdugo, which is like walking a tree. It’s absolutely insane. So from two outs and nobody on to two outs and bases loaded. Will Torres re-energize this crowd?

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

It’s 3-0 to Verdugo. Why? Throw him a strike. He can’t hit it!

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

Wells is hit in the forearm! So he takes first, and this two-out action is not what LA needed. Can Alex Verdugo deliver? He almost always doesn’t.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

Volpe pokes a ball through the hole between first and second, so NY have a two-out base runner for Austin Wells.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

Rizzo lifts a fly ball to center – Hernandez is there to make the catch. Two outs. Here’s Volpe.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, bottom 5th

Vesia is on now to pitch, looking for that all-important shut down inning. He’s off to a good start, getting Stanton to bounce out. One down for Rizzo.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, top 5th

Hernandez bounces to short and Volpe makes the play. He tags second for the force play that ends this disaster of an inning for new York.

LA had no hits entering the fifth. They got one, then Judge dropped a routine ball, Volpe threw a ball in the dirt, Cole didn’t cover first, and LA delivered key, clutch hits.

Just wow, wow, wow! Talk about a meltdown.

Dodgers 5-5 Yankees, top 5th

Muncy walks, and finally there’s a meeting at the mound. Cole, who was rolling heading into this inning, looks totally gassed!

Hernandez, who started this inning, is up for a second try at it this frame.

Dodgers 3-5 Yankees, top 5th

Hernandez is in the hole 0-2. Then he lets a slider away pass. It’s 1-2.

Dodgers 1-5 Yankees, top 5th

Nobody can watch at Yankee Stadium after this defensive mess. It’s 1-2 to Freeman.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, top 5th

Ohtani waves at a breaking ball! That’s strike three! After loading the bases, Cole has come back with two huge K’s!

But here comes Betts.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, top 5th

Huge cut by Lux on a 1-1 pitch and it flies right by him! He was going for it all there!

Now Cole comes back with more cheese – it’s a 99mph fastball. Strike three!

That’s one down, but now Ohtani steps to the plate.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, top 5th

Smith hits a grounder to shortstop – Volpe throws it to third to try and get the lead runner but the ball is in the dirt and Chisholm can’t dig it out! Two errors have helped to load the bases for LA! Wow!

Can Gavin Lux deliver?

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, top 5th

The Dodgers have traffic on the bases on the fifth. Kike Hernandez whacks LA’s first single, then Judge drops an Edman routine fly ball in center field! Whoa!

So suddenly it’s first and second with nobody out! Will Smith comes up in a high stakes at-bat!

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 4th

Chisholm looks at strike three – inning over. The Dodgers finally have a blank frame to their name.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 4th

Judge just misses a second home run, getting under a Koech pitch a lifting it sky high, short of the fence. A very loud second out!

Here’s Chisholm.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 4th

Soto takes the first pitch he sees to right field for a hit. So first and second for Judge with just one out.

Ru roh.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 4th

Michel Kopech comes in for LA and walks Verdugo, which is ridiculous because he could not hit water if he fell out of a boat. Then Torres hits a super high fly ball to short which is easy for Edman. One out, here’s Soto.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, top 4th

Muncy flies out to center: inning over! Cole needs 49 pitches to get through four no-hit innings. Yeah, I said it.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, top 4th

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is interviewed by FOX TV in the US, and it’s clear from his comments that he’s thinking about Game 6 as far as the arms he puts out there tonight.

If the Yankees wanted to get really creative, they’d life Cole after five so he’s be ready for bullpen work in Game 7.

Meanwhile, Betts draws a lead off walk. Here comes Freeman.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 3rd

Wells checks his swing but he went too far. Strike three, inning over. But not before another Yankee blast!

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 3rd

Ryan Brasier gets Volpe to fly out to right field. Two down for Wells.

Dodgers 0-5 Yankees, bottom 3rd

Rizzo hits a ball on the screws but Betts makes a fine catch in right field. One out here in the third as the crowd continues to buzz.

The readers write!

Jenna Brown is looking for retribution!

“I am writing about two NY Yankees fans, Austin Capobianco and John Peter, and their assault on a player, Mookie Betts. Their attack on a player was not spontaneous but planned long ago. What they did was assault and battery.

They do not care about the sport or the players.

It is the responsibility of the stadium and the management to provide a safe space for players and guests alike. I applaud the decision to eject the two from the stadium and then ban them from attending Game 5. But the two offenders have generated a lot of publicity. Some of their admirers make light of their assault and some praise them as heroes.

Really??

At the very least, Capobianco and Peter owe baseball an authentic and public apology. If they can’t do that, and until they do, MLB should ban them from all baseball stadiums.”

A ban seems appropriate. You cannot do that.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, top 3rd

Ohtani is down in the count quickly: it’s 0-2!

Now he lifts a ball to left field, it’s easy for Verdugo who makes the catch! Inning over! NY survive that walk, which means the worm is turning!

Cole gets through three innings with just 36 pitches.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, top 3rd

Cole comes back with a fastball for a strike, so now the count is full. Fans on their feet in the Bronx as they look for three perfect innings from Cole.

But Lux walks! That’s the first base runner for LA, and you just can’t walk a guy like Lux with Ohtani on deck. As good as Cole has been, that’s criminal.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, top 3rd

Cole falls behind Lux 3-1, which we haven’t seen much of so far.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, top 3rd

Smith pops out to first base. Two down. It’s up to Lux to keep this inning going.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, top 3rd

Edman at the plate, down 0-2 in the count. Then he wastes a few pitches, which is what LA need to do: take any opportunity to tax Cole with extra pitches.

Then he strikes out – one down. Here’s Smith.

Tweeting in…

That’s the question. Dave Roberts doesn’t want to tax his bullpen too much if he’s going home for a Game 6, so we could be in gar-bage time early if New York get a few more.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Chisholm bounces to first base – Freeman tosses to Banda who is late in covering but just gets the diving runner. So that will do it – the Yankees strand three but add a run. It could have been a lot more: remember that missed opportunity if LA get back in this game later.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Ball four – bases loaded for Jazz Chisholm with two outs. This could be the game.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Judge is ahead in the count, 3-1. Dangerous pitch right here.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

It’s 1-1 to Judge! How will it end?

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Ball four! Soto is on, and Judge is coming to the plate with two men on base. He can really open this game up right here.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Full count to Soto. The fans are up on their feet, looking for more Yankee runs!

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Ball in the dirt and Verdugo takes off! He reaches second without a throw on the wild pitch. It’s 2-1 to Soto who has a runner in scoring position.

Dodgers 0-4 Yankees, bottom 2nd

One on and one out for Torres against Banda, who has allowed just one run in 7.1 innings pitched this postseason.

Three pitches and Torres is gone, strike three. Two outs. Soto is next.

Dodgers 0-3 Yankees, bottom 2nd

Anthony Volpe, who had the dramatic grand slam in Game 4 is up and delivers a line shot down the left field line! That’s extra bases for Volpe who lands at second base with a leaf off double! Wells, who had his first multi-hit game in 50 days on Tuesday is up now, but he bounces out to first.

The good news? Volpe moves to third on the play. One down and the infield moves in now guarding against a fourth Yankee run as Versugo steps in.

Dodgers 0-3 Yankees, top 2nd

Cole fires a strike low in the zone that Muncy watches go by. Strike three.

Now Hernandez pops out to right field. That’s six straight retired by Cole to start this game, and he needed just 19 pitches to do it.

Dodgers fans swallow hard.

Dodgers 0-3 Yankees, top 2nd

Teoscar Hernandez can’t touch the Cole slider away. He’s got it tonight, at least so far. One down. Here’s Muncy.

Dodgers 0-3 Yankees, bottom 1st

Rizzo strikes out, but what a start for new York here in Game 5. Now Cole must deliver a shut down inning to keep this momentum going.

Double trouble: Judge, then Chisholm

Dodgers 0-3 Yankees, bottom 1st

Flaherty needs to settle down and get some outs, because another bullpen game is not ideal for the Dodgers moving forward.

Stanton hits a rope to center field – Hernandez slips, but gathers himself and makes the catch for the second out.

Rizzo is next.

Dodgers 0-0 Yankees, bottom 1st

Flaherty falls behind the slugger – it’s 3-0 to Soto before the righty sends in a strike.

Then Soto lays off a pitch low and away – that’s ball four! One on for Aaron Judge. Half a city expects!

Dodgers 0-0 Yankees, bottom 1st

OK, Cole did his thing, how about Flaherty?

He’s ahead on Torres 0-2 before planting a ball in the dirt. The 1-2 slider is bounced to second base – that’s routine for Lux who fires to first for the first out.

Now Juan Soto, in what could be his last game as a New York Yankee, steps into the batters box.

Dodgers 0-0 Yankees, top 1st

Freeman hits an opposite field fly ball that’s well short of the fence. Catch is made, side retired!

It’s a 1-2-3 inning with no high stress pitches for Cole. It’s exactly what he needed to come out and do.

Now here come the Yankees!

Dodgers 0-0 Yankees, top 1st

Betts hits a little roller up the first base line. Rizzo scoops it up, steps on first base, and that’s the second out.

Freddie Feeman is up with nobody on, which is best practice for New York.

Prediction time

For those of you keeping score at home, I picked the Dodgers in five games. As this is Game 5, this is my moment! Tonight, my pick comes true: the champs and the game total – nice! The score? 6-4, of course.

National Anthem

Tonight it’s Babyface! And he’s very shiny in his black jacket – I like the look. Very soothing and solid performance: I’ll give him a score of 8/10, which I think puts him towards the top of the 2024 World Series national anthem standings.

This is what he sounded like at the NBA All-Star Game, but tonight, there was no guitar.

Tweeting in…

FF = Freddie Freeman, who has hit a home run in six consecutive World Series games. Lucky seven for FF tonight?

The readers say…

David Athya writes:

“It’s unthinkable that the Dodgers don’t win the big prize but tonight, at least, is harder to call and if the Yankees can even just take it back to Los Angeles then it keeps the drama going! Looks a straight up duel between Cole and Flaherty; whatever man is standing the longest the better chance his team have of winning. Yankees should have had a morale boost with the batting output last night. Everyone is expecting Judge to produce eventually but I think Stanton is the man to watch.”

Well, I don’t know about unthinkable. You can imagine a scenario in which Cole delivers tonight sending everyone back to Los Angeles. Then LA would completely destroy Carlos Rodon while Yoshinobu Yamamoto keeps the Yankees bats at bay in Game 6.

If Judge is going to produce in this series, he’s running out of time.

Lineups!

I’m surprised the Yankees haven’t put Stanton back where he belongs, which is right behind Judge. Tommy Edman moves up the lineup for LA, which makes sense because he’s the NLCS MVP.

Bronx Zoo update

By now you may be familiar with the Austin Capobianco and his friend who basically assaulted Mookie Betts as he chased down a foul ball near the stands in right filed Tuesday. Well, they’re banned from Game 5, which makes sense. In fact, ESPN reported that the offenders were told that if they even tried to get inside Yankee Stadium for Game 5, they’d be arrested. What’s amazing, is that initially, the duo were told they could actually come back and watch World Series baseball. At some point, somebody from somewhere told the Yankees to lock these gentlemen out.

Oh, and it turns out that Capobianco was friends with Rob Gronkowski in college, and spoke about his buddy glowingly on Wednesday.

Only in America!

Hello!

Welcome to our live coverage of Game 5 of the 120th World Series! The Dodgers are in the Bronx looking to make sure they don’t leave for Los Angeles without the trophy, and to do that they’ll have to beat New York at Yankee Stadium, one last time.

How did we get here? Well, in Game 4 the Yankees finally put some big runs on the board while picking themselves up off the floor, beating Los Angeles 11-4 in a contest that was close until New York broke out with five runs in the eighth inning. Do the Yankees and their fans feel better about themselves now that they haven’t been swept by LA? Oh yeah, definitely. Some of their bats woke up: Anthony Volpe hit a dramatic grand slam and Austin Wells crushed a shot off the fence before launching an eighth inning home run. Even Aaron Judge showed some signs of exiting his elongated slump.

The problem is that LA threw out the dregs of their bullpen in a game that was designed to make sure their best relievers didn’t have to pitch to ensure they’re fresh for Game 5. So even if the Yankees hit double digits on Tuesday, it wasn’t against LA’s top talent, and they likely won’t see arms that are that vulnerable for the rest of the series.

Now if the Yanks can hit some real Dodger pitching and win this Game 5, this series will get serious in earnest. It’ll mean an unsettled Dodgers team schlepping west, not for a parade but for a crucial Game 6.

Whether that happens or not is mostly in the hands of their ace Gerrit Cole, who was handed a nine-year $324m contract in 2020 for precisely this moment. Cole must carry New York deep into this ballgame, and he needs to be way more than above average: he needs to dominate. This is the game that will define him going forward, and in a big spot like this, with an arm that perhaps isn’t the healthiest, I am not sure I believe in a Cole that has been hit or miss this season. A power flash from Judge would also be useful.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are looking to their starter Jack Flaherty for a big night. The former Tiger, acquired by LA at the trade deadline, was great in Game 1 and pitched into the sixth inning before making one bad pitch to Giancarlo Stanton. Are we going to get the good Flaherty, who dominated the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS and was strong against the Yankees on Friday, or will we see the hurler who was absolutely thrashed by the Mets in Game 5, when the Dodgers were in the same exact situation: looking to win and avoid traveling home for more baseball.

There’s lots of questions that need answering. And perhaps you have some questions, comments, thoughts or feelings you’d like to get into our live coverage. If so, feel free to tweet or email me and I’ll do my best to make you famous.

They’ll be more live World Series coverage to come - stick with us!

David will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look back at Tuesday night’s Game 4, where the Yankees staved off elimination.