Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 30th 2024
Preview and Prediction
NEW YORK Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole spent Tuesday afternoon getting ready for a game they weren't sure would actually take place.
A few hours later, Anthony Volpe secured the continuation of the World Series with Game 5 on Wednesday, where Flaherty will be pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cole will be starting for the New York Yankees.
The Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series going into Tuesday's game, but New York easily won with a score of 11-4 in Game 4, thanks to Volpe's grand slam in the third inning.
Another win for the Yankees on Wednesday would make some history. Out of the 24 previous teams that have fallen behind 3-0 in the World Series, 21 were swept in four games and the other three were eliminated in Game 5.
If New York can prolong the series, Game 6 will be played on Friday in Los Angeles.
The Yankees had a batting average of .186 in the first three games and only scored a total of seven runs. The Dodgers then took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Wednesday before Volpe sparked a comeback.
"They're just like, 'Let's go get it,'" said New York manager Aaron Boone about his players. "Again, these guys love playing with each other, and you kind of got that feeling before the game. And as the game unfolded, it just got better and better tonight.
"It's just one game. We wanted to make it to tomorrow, and we've accomplished that. We're excited for the opportunity tomorrow."
The Yankees now have a batting average of .206 in the series after achieving their highest-scoring World Series game since their 12-2 victory over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1978 Fall Classic.
Aside from Volpe, Austin Wells and Gleyber Torres also hit home runs for New York. Aaron Judge had an RBI single and a walk, and every player on the team except Anthony Rizzo reached base at least once.
"We're just going to play our game," Volpe said. "We believe that if we do that and we play the way we know we're capable of playing, they can do whatever they want. They're obviously a good team, and they can do what they do. But we have so much confidence in ourselves that if we play that way, we feel like we'll win."
The Dodgers had few highlights other than Freddie Freeman setting a pair of major league records by hitting a home run in his sixth consecutive World Series game and becoming the first player to hit a home run in the first four games of a Fall Classic. Los Angeles only managed to get six hits and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
"We're currently up 3-1," said Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts. "We feel pretty good about it, but we know that they're going to fight. It doesn't matter what the score is or when it is; they're going to fight. So, I mean, no lead is safe until you win the fourth game."
Flaherty (1-2, 6.10 ERA in the postseason) allowed eight runs in three innings during Game 5 of the NLCS against the New York Mets on October 18th, but he started the World Series by allowing two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Flaherty left his first World Series start due to tightness in his hamstring that he felt on the pitch before giving up a two-run homer to Giancarlo Stanton on his final delivery. However, he said he is feeling fine now.
"It's caused a little extra work that I normally wouldn't have to do, but I'm feeling good today, felt good yesterday during my bullpen (session)," Flaherty said before Game 4. "At this point, it's not anything I'm worried about."
Cole (1-0, 2.82) will be making his fourth career World Series start and his first in an elimination game. He has a record of 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in World Series starts, and he had a no-decision in Game 1 when he allowed one run on four hits in six innings while throwing 88 pitches.
Cole was not considered to start Game 4 on just three days of rest due to his season starting
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees Recap OCT 30TH 2024
NEW YORK -- Mookie Betts lifted a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame a five-run deficit and clinched their eighth World Series title with a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night in Game 5.
Six outs away from being forced back to Los Angeles for a sixth game on Friday, the Dodgers won their second title in five seasons and first in a full season since the 1988 team stunned the Oakland Athletics.
Los Angeles also avoided becoming the first team to win the first three games of a best-of-seven Fall Classic and get taken to a sixth game.
The Dodgers trailed 6-5 entering the eighth before Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle (1-1) allowed two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs. Gavin Lux lifted a tying sacrifice fly to center field off Luke Weaver.
Shohei Ohtani then reached base on catcher's interference when his bat grazed Austin Wells' glove. Following a brief review, the call was confirmed.
On the next pitch, Betts lifted a fly ball to center fielder Aaron Judge, and Tommy Edman trotted home for a 7-6 lead.
It was the largest comeback ever in a World Series clincher, surpassing the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates overcoming a four-run deficit in Game 7 against the Washington Senators.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give the Yankees a 6-5 lead after Los Angeles erased its 5-0 deficit by sending 10 to the plate in fifth. The Dodgers capitalized on physical errors by Judge and Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe along with a mental error by Gerrit Cole, New York's starting pitcher.
New York held a 5-0 lead and Cole had yet to allow a hit before Enrique Hernandez singled to open the fifth inning.
Edman reached when his fly ball caromed off Judge's glove, putting runners at first and second. Will Smith followed by hitting a grounder to Volpe, whose throw bounced in front of third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., loading the bases with no outs.
After Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, Betts hit a soft grounder to first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Cole went about halfway off the mound before stopping, and Betts beat Rizzo to the bag allowing the Dodgers' first run to score.
Cole was one strike away from ending the inning with a 5-1 lead but allowed a two-run single to Freddie Freeman. Teoscar Hernandez also was one strike away from making the final out before lining a two-run double over Judge's head, tying the game 5-5.
Los Angeles rallied after getting a short start from Jack Flaherty, who was tagged for four runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Blake Treinen (2-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out Anthony Rizzo with two on in the eighth.
Two days after winning Game 3, Walker Buehler pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first major league save, regular season or postseason.
Judge hit a two-run homer in the first and Chisholm followed with a solo shot. Alex Verdugo added an RBI single to chase Flaherty in the second, and Stanton homered in the third off Ryan Brasier.
Cole allowed five unearned runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked four.
--Larry Fleisher,