The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday, winning the World Series 4-1.
Trailing 5-0, the Dodgers scored five runs in the fifth inning, all of which were the result of three defensive mistakes by the Yankees. New York regained the lead in the sixth inning, but two sacrifice flies by Los Angeles in the top of the eighth gave the visiting team the lead for good.
“We just took advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez said of the fifth inning. “We had a good at-bat. We put the ball in play. A lot of people say, ‘If you put the ball in play, something might happen.’ That happened in that inning and we scored five runs. ”
First baseman Freddie Freeman won World Series MVP with four home runs and 12 RBIs in five games. Freeman hit one home run in each of the first four games of the series.
“Every spring training is our goal,” Freeman said after the win. “I couldn’t ask for a better year to do that with this group of guys. Holy cow.”
The Dodgers have won the World Series twice in the past five years, including during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Los Angeles’ last title after a full season was in 1988.
The Dodgers were dominant in the batter’s box and on the mound during the postseason.
Los Angeles defeated the New York Mets in six games in the National League Championship Series, outscoring the Mets with four wins and a total of 37-7.
In the game against the Yankees, the Dodgers’ pitching staff continued to hold back a powerful batting lineup as Los Angeles held New York, which finished third in the MLB with 815 points during the regular season, to just seven runs in the first three games. series.
Several players on this year’s Dodgers team were also on the 2020 World Series team, including Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Quique Hernandez and Walker Buehler. Freeman won a title with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
This is the third championship for manager Dave Roberts, who led Los Angeles in 2020 and won one championship as a player with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.
Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen said after the game, “We don’t have anyone quitting on this team.” “Even if we don’t get the result we want, our teammates always push each other up and challenge each other to be better. That’s why we won tonight.”
Meanwhile, this is the first World Series win for Los Angeles superstar and presumptive National League MVP Shohei Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers before the season. Ohtani had never appeared in the playoffs until this year. He deferred $680 million in salary to allow the franchise to spend more around him.
The Yankees won 94 games during the regular season, the best record in the American League. Center fielder Aaron Judge, who hit 58 home runs and had 144 RBIs during the regular season, is expected to win AL MVP. However, he struggled in the postseason, hitting just .184 and three home runs in 14 games.
New York hasn’t won the World Series since 2009.
