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Aaron Judge's error sparks the Yankees' disastrous fifth inning

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NEW YORK – With leadoff hitter Gerrit Cole working on a no-hitter and a five-run lead, the Yankees made three egregious misplays, starting with a blocked fly ball by center fielder Aaron Judge and culminating in Cole's failure to finish to cover first base on a grounder to Anthony Rizzo.

And the always-dangerous Dodgers struck out for five runs, tying the game 5-5 in the fifth inning of Game 5 at Yankee Stadium.

In one of the most disastrous innings in recent postseason history, the big hits reportedly came from Freddie Freeman, who hit a two-run single, and Teoscar Hernandez, who tied the game with a two-run double. But these came with an air of inevitability after the Yankees threw the door wide open.

First, Judge, who botched a routine fly by Max Muncy on an error after Kiké Hernandez's leadoff single. Then a fumbled grounder off Will Smith's bat into the hole, where Anthony Volpe felt like his only play was to reach third. He let the throw bounce due to an error.

Cole almost regained his footing and escaped the bases-loaded jam, striking out Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani. Then Mookie Betts hit a grounder down the first base line. It twisted and bounced and cut and hooked, and Rizzo stayed down instead of attacking it.

Cole didn't get off the mound to cover the bag. Betts was safe, it was 5-1 – and a few moments later it was 5-5, all the runs unearned.

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