In a stunning reversal of fortune that will go down in Fall Classic lore, the Los Angeles Dodgers came roaring back from the brink of elimination to defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 and clinch the 2024 World Series title. Down 5-0 and being no-hit through four innings on the brink of heading back to LA for Game 6, the resilient Dodgers stormed back with five runs in the fifth and two more on sacrifice flies in the eighth to secure their eighth championship and first since 2020.
With their backs against the wall and hopes rapidly fading, the Dodgers’ bats finally came alive in the pivotal fifth. After being baffled by Yankees ace Gerrit Cole for four hitless frames, LA strung together five straight hits – none bigger than a two-run double by Freddie Freeman that brought them within one. The Dodgers completed the comeback in the eighth, with Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts delivering back-to-back sacrifice flies to take a decisive 7-6 lead.
Early on, it appeared to be the Yankees’ night as Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr blasted back-to-back homers off LA starter Jack Flaherty in the first inning to ignite the raucous Bronx crowd. Another Yankees long ball, this time a solo shot by Giancarlo Stanton, stretched the lead to 5-0 through three innings as Cole cruised, allowing nary a hit.
Dodgers’ Resiliency Rewarded
Yet as they’ve demonstrated all postseason, these never-say-die Dodgers simply have no quit in them. Even facing a five-run deficit and an outstanding pitching performance, LA found a way. It began innocently enough in the fifth, with Mookie Betts breaking up Cole’s no-hit bid with a one-out single and stolen base. By the time the dust settled, four more Dodgers had reached base, the last a devastating blow by Freeman.
“Those are the kinds of at-bats that win your championships. Pressuring the defense, coming up clutch, never giving an inch. That’s Dodger baseball at its finest right there.”
– Dodgers manager Dave Roberts
Refusing to let the Yankees off the hook, LA kept scrapping. Lux and Betts were the heroes in the eighth, each cashing in a runner from third with less than two outs via medium-depth flies. It wasn’t pretty, but epitomized the unrelenting nature of these Dodgers.
Surviving a Late Scare
Even after taking the lead, LA had to withstand one final threat. Aaron Judge led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and advanced to third on Chisholm’s walk. But Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol bore down, inducing a harmless Stanton pop-up before striking out Anthony Rizzo on a filthy 85 mph sweeper to escape the jam.
“I just had to trust my stuff and make pitches. No way were we losing this game after fighting so hard to come back. I wanted that ball and was getting those outs one way or another.”
– Dodgers closer Brusdar Graterol
Walker Buehler, the winning pitcher from Game 3, came on for the ninth and worked around a one-out single, striking out Alex Verdugo for the final out to set off a wild celebration on the Yankee Stadium infield. Dodgers players stormed the mound, tossing gloves and hats before engaging in a massive team hug as blue and white confetti rained from the sky.
Dynasty in the Making?
After falling short in 2021 and 2022, then enduring a turbulent 2023 campaign, the Dodgers are back on top of the baseball world. The franchise has now won eight titles overall, tied for sixth-most all-time. With a roster loaded with young talent like World Series MVP Mookie Betts, Julio Urias, and Gavin Lux, and proven stars in their prime such as Freddie Freeman, Walker Buehler and Will Smith, the ingredients are in place for a potential Dodger dynasty. After an unthinkable comeback on the game’s biggest stage, it appears the sky is the limit in LA.
A Stunning Finish
For a series that began in such lopsided fashion, the ending was shockingly dramatic. The Yankees, with their backs against the wall, came out swinging in Game 5. When Judge and Chisholm belted back-to-back homers, then Stanton added another, the party was on in the Bronx. All the momentum was squarely with New York.
According to a source close to the team, the Yankees clubhouse was practically giddy with “We got this!” chatter after sprinting to that early 5-0 lead. With Cole in total command, mowing the Dodgers down inning after inning, it seemed a Game 6 was all but inevitable.
And then, as quickly as New York seized control, it slipped away. The Dodgers chipped away in the fifth and completed the comeback late. By the time Graterol and Buehler were done slamming the door, the Bronx crowd had gone eerily silent, resigned to a crushing end to an otherwise magical Yankees season.
The game was a fitting finale to a thrilling World Series loaded with subplots and strategy. There were questions about pitching decisions and pinch hitters, all unfolding under the bright October spotlight. In the end, the Dodgers had the answers. Just like in Game 3, which they also rallied to win late, LA refused to lose.
That tenacious victory in the third game proved to be the turning point. The Yankees, up 2-0 in the series and well-positioned to take a commanding 3-0 lead, instead saw their advantage vanish after failing to hold a late edge. The Dodgers carried that momentum into a pivotal Game 4 shutout win, setting the stage for their unforgettable Game 5 rally.
An Instant Classic
When the World Series is remembered years from now, this Game 5 will undoubtedly stand out as an instant classic – one of the most compelling baseball games in recent memory. Down five runs on the road facing elimination, with the opposing pitcher in total control, the Dodgers clawed all the way back.
The image of LA’s jubilation and the Yankees’ stunned disbelief as the final out was recorded will be etched in fans’ minds forever. The Dodgers’ eighth championship will be celebrated by their passionate fans from the beaches to the valleys, Hollywood to Pasadena.
As the baseball world digests this astonishing Dodgers turnaround and triumph, one thing is clear: never count this team out. Their resiliency and never-say-die attitude were on full display on the game’s grandest stage. They fell behind early and looked out of answers, yet found a way. Those are the championship qualities of a genuinely great team.
“This is a special group, a group of fighters and believers. There was never a doubt in our minds, even down 5-0. We just kept grinding and grinding until we got it done. To do it here in Yankee Stadium, to come back like that with our season on the line, I mean, it doesn’t get any sweeter.”
– Freddie Freeman, Dodgers first baseman
The Dodgers reign supreme once more. After a gutsy comeback for the ages, baseball’s championship flag will fly high above Chavez Ravine. With a young core and championship pedigree, this may be just the beginning of a new Dodgers dynasty.
