Who knew that the fifth inning rally from Los Angeles would end the Yankees chances at Game 6 and be the deciding factor in who won the World Series? Well, the Dodgers, of course. Those L.A. boys took advantage of three critical errors by the Yankees in order to force in five runs, tying the game and ultimately taking the lead in the eighth to clinch the Dodgers’ eighth World Series title.
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman continued his hot hitting streak throughout the series, knocking in 2 RBIs with the bases loaded to spark the upturn in the top of the fifth, tying Bobby Richardson (1960) for a World Series record with 12 RBIs and earning his World Series MVP stripes.
The Yankees gave a valiant fight at home in their last battle with the Dodgers, opening up with homers over the right field wall from Aaron Judge, whose been virtually hitless throughout the series, along with Chisholm Jr. in the bottom of the first inning. Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty gave up four hits, including the two HRs from Judge and Chisholm before L.A. bumped him from the mound and employed four more pitchers by the fifth inning.
Gerrit Cole was set for the win, not allowing a single hit in four complete innings. Things changed in the fifth. Center fielder Kiké Hernandez singled to left field, setting off a come up for L.A. Judge dropped a simple line drive for an error. Shortstop Anthony Volpe made an wild throw for an otherwise easy force out at third base. Cole did not cover first base on a grounder to Anthony Rizzo, allowing the first run of the inning to score. Freeman knocked in two, followed by Teoscar Hernandez, who doubled and brought in another two, tying the game.
In this 7-6 win, the Dodgers earned their season ending celebration, becoming the first team in a World Series-clinching win to come back from a five run or more deficit. They also became the first team in MLB postseason history to fall behind by five-plus runs, come back, only to fall behind again and still win the game.
L.A. was led by one of the greatest performances at the plate in World Series history by Freddie Freeman, the World Series MVP, who set a major league record for most consecutive World Series games with a home run. The six-homer streak began with the last two games in the 2021 Series with the Atlanta Braves and continued with the first four games in the 2024 World Series.
The way the Dodgers played in the final game was also proof that they don’t always need a walk-off grand slam like the one Freeman provided in Game 1 or any homers to clinch the series and take the Commissioner’s Trophy back to Los Angeles.
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