When Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts rested his high-leverage relievers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, and the decision paid off. The Dodgers actually fought the game away, clinching the series with new weapons in Game 6.

Being three games ahead in the World Series New York Yankees It allowed Roberts the luxury of using the same strategy, and he used it again. The Dodgers gambled in Game 4 and New York took advantage, winning 11-4.

The hope was that the new weapons would give Los Angeles a better opportunity to bury the Yankees and close out the championship in Game 5. To do this, the Dodgers hoped to rely heavily on pitcher Jack Flaherty in the game’s opening paragraphs. .

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Instead, Flaherty failed. In the bottom of the first inning, Yankees star Aaron Judge broke out of the slump with a two-run hit to right-center field. Shortly thereafter, Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. He hit his own home run to right-center field to give New York an early 3-0 lead.

The barrage continued in the bottom of the second inning when Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo hit a line drive base hit to bring home shortstop Anthony Volpe. At that point, Roberts had seen enough. All four strikeouts were right at the plate, with two four-seam fastballs, a joint curve and a slider. According to Baseball Savant.

Flaherty became the first starter in World Series history to give up more than four runs and more than two home runs while pitching less than 2.0 innings. According to OptaSTATS. He also became the first starter since Jake Peavy of the San Francisco Giants in 2014 to not collect more than four home runs in a World Series game.

With Flaherty leaving the mound after just four innings, it became clear the Dodgers’ bullpen was in for a long night. After all, he still had 7 2/3 innings left to fill.

The last nine teams to post three-game deficits have all lost in four games, and only four teams in MLB history have managed to force a Game 5. Roberts made sure the Yankees managed to join this club. Now Flaherty has the Yankees poised to make history: After a three-game losing streak in the World Series, no team has forced a Game 6.

Both Roberts and Flaherty hope the Dodgers can save them from the scrutiny that awaits if New York manages to get a second straight win. Fortunately, the Dodgers had more games left, the Yankees’ defense was terrible, and Los Angeles still had Freddie Freeman.

The first baseman continued his historic World Series performance with a base hit that scored Tommy Edman and Will Smith. Freeman now has 12 RBIs in the series, tying Bobby Richardson for the most in a single World Series.