Just when it looked like the New York Yankees were set to send the World Series back West for a Game 6, a series of ill-timed defensive errors cost the Bombers five runs to tie the game up in the fifth inning.
Up five runs in the top of the fifth, Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole faced a two-out bases loaded situation against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. Then, all hell broke loose in the Bronx.
Against a 1-0 count, Betts dribbled a slider to first base in what should have been a routine ground ball for the Yankees to get out of the jam. Instead, Cole seemingly forgot to perform one of the most basic defensive responsibilities that pitchers face.
“Ground ball right side. Rizzo. Nobody at first! Incredible! Atrocious defense from the Yankees leading directly to a Dodger run in the fifth,” Fox’s lead MLB play-by-play announcer Joe Davis belted out. Cole’s failure to cover first base was completely mind-boggling, and surely got every Little League coach in America screaming at their TVs.
But unfortunately for Yankees’ fans, the blunder bonanza didn’t end there. After the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman drove in two more runs with a base hit, Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge misplayed a fly ball off the wall that allowed two more runners to score. Earlier in the inning, Judge dropped a routine pop out that put runners on base.
Mercifully, the Yanks got out of the inning with just five runners crossing home plate. They were able to bounce back in the sixth inning to regain a one run lead. But if they’re unable to close it out now, there will be plenty of blame to go around.
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About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.