I’m Chris Crawford, and I’ll be your live blog host this evening for Game 5 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees were able to stave off elimination thanks in large part to a grand slam from Anthony Volpe, and now will look to be the first team in World Series history to force a Game 6 after falling behind 3-0. It’s Jack Flaherty vs. Gerrit Cole with the Dodgers having another chance to clinch their eighth championship.
How to Watch: Game 5 of the World Series can be viewed on FOX beginning at 8:08 ET.
Aaron Judge has made an impact with the bat in Game 4, and made a big literal impact with the outfield wall while making this spectacular catch on a ball hit by Freddie Freeman in the top of the fourth inning.
Aair Judge 🫡 pic.twitter.com/GlRioL3xcJ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 31, 2024
Call it a lack of pressure, call it an adjustment, call it whatever you want. I’d probably just call it Aaron Judge being really good at baseball and due to do some cool stuff. Mission accomplished.
Cole got the next two hitters out, and the Dodgers still don’t have a hit while trailing the Yankees 5-0.
Cole did allow his first baserunner of the game on a walk to Gavin Lux, but Shohei Ohtani flied out to Alex Verdugo to end the “rally.” He also struck out Tommy Edman to begin the frame, so he’s up to three strikeouts in three scoreless frames while throwing a healthy 36 pitches
Ryan Brasier was then brought into the game, and Giancarlo Stanton did what Giancarlo Stanton does quite often.
Aaron Boone said it best ...
— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2024
"BANG!" #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/FUugFcOIRX
It’s 5-0 Yankees at the end of the third.
Anthony Volpe laced a double off Flaherty to lead off the second, giving him three extra-base hits in the last two contests. Austin Wells had what the cool kids call a “productive out” to move Volpe to third on a grounder to first. That brought up Alex Verdugo, and he look advantage of the drawn-in infield to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead.
Alex Verdugo drives in another run for the @Yankees! #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/eJUuS2atJc
— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2024
That’ll do it for Flaherty, who got four outs while giving up four runs. The only positive for the Dodgers is that he should be available for Game 7 if necessary.
Anthony Banda took over for Flaherty and got Gleyber Torres to strike out, but then walked Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Jazz Chisholm gave it a heck of an effort to beat out a grounder to first, but came just short.
It’s 4-0 Yankees heading to the third.
Another strong inning for Gerrit Cole, and another inning where the pitch count stayed low.
Cole struck out Max Muncy looking on a painted fastball, and got Teoscar Hernandez on a breaking ball.
Gerrit Cole's 2Ks in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/ovGHisDwGA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 31, 2024
That’s two innings without allowing a runner for Cole, and he’s needed just 19 pitches to get through them.
Jack Flaherty didn’t give up a run until the sixth in Game 1.
He’s already given up three while only getting one out.
After giving up a long homer to Aaron Judge, Chisholm decided to join the party with this moon shot to right.
JAZZ CHISHOLM JR. GOES BACK-TO-BACK! #WORLDSERIES pic.twitter.com/FUuRUcdbGn
— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2024
Flaherty then gave up a line-drive to center to Giancarlo Stanton that involved Enrique Hernandez having an adventure, but he ultimately made the play. A strikeout of Anthony Rizzo ended the first, but damage done to say the least.
It’s 3-0 Dodgers, and it’ll be interesting to see how much leash Flaherty has with a fully-rested Dodger bullpen.
Welcome to the World Series, Aaron Judge.
After struggling for the first three games, Judge reached three times in the Game 4 win, and wasted no time greeting Jack Flaherty with a runner on.
AARON JUDGE GETS #WORLDSERIES GAME 5 STARTED! pic.twitter.com/HHRJ9Uo4KA
— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2024
It’s his first homer of the World Series for the presumptive MVP, and the second of the postseason.
It’s only one inning, but Gerrit Cole looks ready to roll based on his first frame.
Just as he did in Game 1, Cole was able to get Shohei Ohtani to fly out to center field; although this one didn’t come close to the warning track. Mookie Betts grounded out on a cue shot to first base, and Freddie Freeman flied out routinely to left. In total, Cole needed just seven pitches with six landing for strikes.
There were a handful of key moments during the Game 4 victory for the Yankees, but with all due respect to the Anthony Volpe grand slam and a few other players, this is the one we’ll be talking about for a while.
Yankees fans tried to rob Mookie Betts on this play 😬
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 30, 2024
It was ruled an out on fan interference.
🎥 @MLBONFOX pic.twitter.com/zElL49e8Qa
A closer look revealed that both fans made contact with the Betts, with one — identified as Austin Capobianco — wrestling the ball out of Betts’ glove. Both were thrown out of Tuesday’s game, and that ban will continue Wednesday.
Statement from the Yankees regarding the two fans ejected from last night’s game following the Mookie Betts incident: pic.twitter.com/IQX1OO9QJp
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) October 30, 2024
It’s been reported that the tickets will be refunded, and that is more of a legal obligation suggesting that they don’t have a right to be there than anything out of the goodness of their hearts.
Personally, I believe neither fan should ever be able to attend a baseball game again. There is absolutely no place for this in the sport nor anywhere else, and the precedent should be set that you can’t assault — yes, assault — players who are attempting to make a baseball play.
Game One seems like ages ago, but it was one of the better World Series games we’ve seen — at least in this writer’s eyes — and it started with terrific performances by the starters.
Cole got off to a bit of a shaky start in Game 1 with two long flyball outs from Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, but he settled down very nicely while allowing just one run in six innings. The right-hander was pulled after 88 pitches, and the question now will be how big of a pitch count Cole will have in this must-win game. If the Yankees get a big cushion, would they consider pulling Cole to save him for a potential Game 7 appearance? There’s risk — and reward — with that potential usage.
Flaherty allowed just two runs in his 5 2/3 frames; both coming on a Giancarlo Stanton homer with two outs in the sixth. He also told reporters he was dealing with cramping in his hamstring prior to that at-bat, but there was never really any doubt that the right-hander was going to be on the bump for Game 5. Flaherty has been up-and-down in this postseason, and with the Dodgers essentially punting Game 4 and an off-day before Game 6, they’ll be able to turn to their relievers early if necessary.
- Moneyline: LAD: (+122) | NYY: (-144)
- Spread: LAD: +1.5 (-165) | NYY: -1.5 (-136)
- Total: 8.5 -- Over: (-105) | Under: (-115)
The lineups are out, and unsurprisingly there are no changes.
Tonight’s #WorldSeries Game 5 Dodgers lineup at Yankees: pic.twitter.com/HgTd6w4Qwn
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 30, 2024
Freddie Freeman has homered in each game this series and his last six World Series games. He’ll get a chance to add to that total with a roundtripper Wednesday, and he’s hit Gerrit Cole well in the past (7-for-20 with one HR).
Game 5 up next. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/N05UXAAjAM
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 30, 2024
The Yankees made a change last night from their usual order; placing Jazz Chisholm in the middle of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. It probably had more to do with the Dodgers’ pitching, but it did “work” with the team scoring 11 runs in the must-win game.