Yankees blow 5-run lead with epic defensive meltdown as Dodgers rally to clinch World Series

NEW YORK (AP) — Just when it appeared Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees were right back in this World Series, they all but gave away the trophy.

An epic meltdown of defensive miscues, beginning with Judge's embarrassing error in center field, helped the Los Angeles Dodgers rally in a five-run fifth inning that tied the score at 5.

Young shortstop Anthony Volpe and ace pitcher Gerrit Cole also committed costly mistakes. New York's bullpen squandered a one-run lead in the eighth, and the Dodgers held on for a 7-6 victory Wednesday night in Game 5 that wrapped up their eighth championship and second in five years.

“This is like, as bad as it gets,” Cole said. “It's the worst feeling that you can have.”

Finally back in their first World Series since 2009, the Yankees didn’t last long.

It was the latest autumn failure for baseball’s most successful franchise — one that used to own October.

Not anymore. Not lately, at least. And in the Yankees’ universe, 15 years is a long time between titles.

“We didn’t get the job done,” Judge said. “We made some mistakes along the way that hurt us.”

On deck, an offseason of uncertainty as New York tries to retain free agent slugger Juan Soto, who is expected to have several eager suitors and command a massive contract.

“I’m really happy with the city, with the team, how these guys do, but at the end of the day, we will see,” Soto said. “We’re going to look at every situation, every offer that we get and take a decision from there.

“I feel like every team has the same opportunities,” he added. “I don’t want to say anybody has any advantage because at the end of the day we’re going to look at what they have and how much they want me.”

Judge wants Soto back in the Big Apple.

“I think everybody in this room wants him back,” the captain said. “You could look at the stats and what he did on the field, I think it was the type of leader he is in this clubhouse. He just does a lot of the little things that people don’t notice that truly make him one of the best players if not the best player in the game. ... I definitely would love to see him in pinstripes for quite a long time.”

After losing the first three games to LA, the Yankees won 11-4 in Game 4 behind Volpe to prevent a sweep. That left them looking to become the first of 25 teams that fell behind 3-0 in the World Series to force a Game 6, which would have been back at Dodger Stadium.

And they got off to a rollicking start, too, with back-to-back homers by Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the first inning. Giancarlo Stanton went deep leading off the third, and the Bronx Bombers had a 5-0 cushion.

“You feel pretty confident with your ace up there and a five-run lead. But you know, that’s baseball, man,” left fielder Alex Verdugo said. “They played the better baseball in this World Series.”

Cole cruised through four hitless innings, pitching around a leadoff walk in the fourth with the help of a remarkable catch by Judge as he crashed hard into the left-center fence.

California, here we come, right?

Wrong.

“I’m heartbroken,” manager Aaron Boone said. “The ending is cruel.”

Kiké Hernández opened the fifth with a single, then Judge dropped Tommy Edman’s easy fly to center for his first error all year, putting runners at first and second with nobody out. It appeared Judge took his eye off the ball, which he tried snagging with just his glove hand.

“You can’t give a good team like that extra outs,” Judge said. “It starts with me there on the line drive coming in, misplayed that. So that doesn’t happen, then I think we’ve got a different story tonight.”

Will Smith followed with a grounder to the right of Volpe, who fielded it cleanly in the hole and tried to get the lead runner at third base. But the 2023 Gold Glove winner bounced a hurried throw that glanced off Chisholm’s glove for another error, loading the bases.

After a mound visit, Cole buckled down and struck out Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani as the sellout crowd of 49,263 at Yankee Stadium roared.

And it looked as though Cole had wriggled out of the jam when Mookie Betts grounded a slow squibber to first baseman Anthony Rizzo. But because the ball was spinning so much, Rizzo waited back on it. Cole initially broke to cover first base, then stopped. And when Rizzo scooped up the ball, the pitcher was nowhere close.

Cole pointed toward first, but by then Rizzo had no chance to beat the speedy Betts to the bag. He was credited with an infield single that shaved New York’s lead to 5-1.

“I took a bad angle to the ball,” Cole said. “I wasn’t sure really off the bat how hard he hit it. ... By the time the ball got by me, I was not in a position to cover first.”

World Series MVP Freddie Freeman followed with a two-run single, matching a Fall Classic record with 12 RBIs, and Teoscar Hernández tied it with a two-run double over Judge’s head in left-center.

“We didn't take care of the ball well enough in that inning,” Boone said in an understatement.

With the five-run advantage gone in a flash, the end almost felt inevitable.

Stanton put the Yankees back in front 6-5 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, but reliever Tommy Kahnle loaded the bases with none out in the eighth on two singles and a four-pitch walk.

A catcher’s interference call on Austin Wells also hurt as Lux and Betts came through with sac flies off closer Luke Weaver to give the Dodgers a 7-6 lead that right-handers Blake Treinen and Walker Buehler refused to relinquish.

In the clubhouse afterward, Cole summed up the collapse with two words.

“It’s brutal,” he said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The New York Yankees watch during their loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, center, is pulled by manager Aaron Boone, left, as first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) puts his hand on the Cole's shoulder during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole acknowledges the crowd as he leaves during the seventh inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) talks with starting pitcher Gerrit Cole during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman watches his two-run single against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) talks with starting pitcher Gerrit Cole during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole looks back toward the scoreboard after throwing against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Kiké Hernández, right, is safe at third as New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reaches for a throw from shortstop Anthony Volpe during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. Volpe was charged with a throwing error. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge makes error fielding on a ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers' Tommy Edman during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Kiké Hernández, right, is safe at third as New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reaches for a throw from shortstop Anthony Volpe during the fifth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. Volpe was charged with a throwing error. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — National rushing leader Ashton Jeanty resumes his run for the Heisman Trophy and No. 15 Boise State continues to chase a spot in the new 12-team College Football Playoff when the Broncos host the San Diego State Aztecs on Friday night in a matchup of teams undefeated in Mountain West play.

The Broncos (6-1, 3-0) can solidify their spot atop the Mountain West standings as the calendar turns to November. San Diego State (3-4, 2-0) is still trying to find an identity in Sean Lewis’ first season as coach. Colorado State is the only other team undefeated in MW play, also at 3-0.

Coach Spencer Danielson said there's still plenty of room for the Broncos to learn and grow. Even though the Broncos beat San Diego State when they played in Boise in 2022, they don't forget any home loss, including the 19-13 defeat at the hands of the Aztecs on their blue turf in 2018.

“We know it's going to be a huge test Friday night on the Blue. Undefeated in conference. Monster game," Danielson said. "We've had battles here on the Blue versus San Diego State. I'll never forget, 2018, losing on the Blue to San Diego State. You don't forget those moments. Those are the things we're excited to attack, especially who they are and what they're going to be about. We've got to be ready to play and we will be.”

Lewis said BSU is “a really complete team that’s playing high-level ball” and said Jeanty is “a physical runner with home run speed.”

Lewis also lamented SDSU blowing a 12-point fourth-quarter lead Saturday night and losing 29-26 at home to Washington State.

While pleased with the Aztecs' growth, he said he's “still sick to my stomach about the results, but we’ll grow from it and learn from it, the progress that we continue to make. Unfortunately, a part of progress is pain that comes along with it — and we felt some of that on Saturday night — but we obsess about the process and not necessarily the results.”

The sophomore from Jacksonville, Florida, is either first or second in the FBS in several categories. He leads the nation with 1,376 yards rushing, 196.6 yards per game and 203.71 all-purpose yards. He's tied for first with 19 total touchdowns, 16.3 points per game and 114 total points.

With 1,376 yards rushing and 12 receptions, he is the first FBS player to reach those marks in his team’s first seven games since 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams of Texas (1,484, 15).

Boise State leads the FBS with five sacks per game while San Diego State is third at four per game. The Aztecs' Trey White continues to lead the FBS in sacks (11.5), sacks per game (1.64), tackles for loss (15.5) and TFLs per game (2.2).

San Diego State has had its last four games decided by three points or fewer and is 2-2 in those contests. Those games have been decided by a combined 10 points. It’s the longest such streak in MW history and the longest active streak in the FBS.

The Broncos are coming off a 29-24 win at UNLV that made them bowl eligible for the 27th consecutive season, the nation’s second-longest active streak behind Georgia at 28. Jeanty didn’t play up to his standards but still rushed for 128 yards and the winning 1-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 12:38 left.

Broncos kicker Jonah Dalmas has 90 career field goals, good for fourth in FBS history and just seven back of the FBS record of 97 held by NC State’s Christopher Dunn (2018-22). With a career field-goal percentage of 89.1 (90-for-101), Dalmas is second in FBS history, trailing only Nebraska’s Alex Henery, who converted at 89.5% (68-for-76) from 2007-10.

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San Diego State running back Marquez Cooper leaps into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Washington State Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)