Dodgers-Yankees World Series Game 5 interesting facts

NEW YORK – The Los Angeles Dodgers are champions of the 2024 World Series.

It was a wild, memorable game Wednesday night that cemented the Dodgers' eighth World Series title. That puts the Giants fifth all-time, behind only the Yankees (27), Cardinals (11), Red Sox (nine) and Athletics (nine).

Here's a look at 12 stats and facts from Game 5.

• That five-run comeback? It was the largest World Series victory, surpassing the Game 7 win of 1925 when the Pirates trailed by four. This was the 120th World Series, so that's a pretty big turnout.

• Teams are now 7-227 when trailing by at least five runs in World Series games and 20-624 in postseason history when trailing by at least five runs. The other World Series comebacks from five down, aside from the Dodgers: The Phillies in Game 1 in 2022, Angels in Game 6 in 2002, Yankees in Game 4 in 1996, Blue Jays in Game 4 in 1993, Dodgers in Game 2 in 1956 and A's in Game 1929 4.

• The Dodgers had to come back twice, trailing 5-0 and 6-5. According to STATS, they became the first team in postseason history to fall behind by at least five runs, overcome that deficit, fall behind again and still win the game. That's the case in every postseason game, and the Dodgers did it in a crucial World Series game.

• Freeman won the well-deserved World Series MVP award with four home runs, 12 RBIs and a .300 average. He is the 12th player to win a league MVP and a World Series MVP in his career, and to say the list is good company is an understatement. He joins Johnny Bench, Roberto Clemente, Rollie Fingers, Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson, Sandy Koufax, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt and Willie Stargell. These are 10 Hall of Famers and the all-time hits leader.

• Freeman had 12 RBIs in the Series, tying 1960 Bobby Richardson for the most in a single World Series (RBI official since 1920). It is also the most RBIs in a postseason series in Dodgers history, ahead of Tommy Edman in the 2024 NLCS and Corey Seager in the 2020 NLCS with 11 each.

• Walker Buehler threw the ninth pitch, earning his first MLB save in the regular season or postseason. His only other professional save came on August 13, 2017 for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Alex Verdugo and Max Muncy were in his lineup that day. He made his MLB debut on September 7th. As a freshman on May 11, 2013, he had a college parade at Vanderbilt.

• Buehler became the eighth pitcher with a win as a starter and a save in the same postseason series since saves became official in 1969. He joined Ranger Suárez in the 2022 NLCS, Clayton Kershaw in the 2016 NLDS, Madison Bumgarner in the 2014 World Series, Kevin Millwood in the 1999 NLDS, Orel Hershiser in the 1988 NLCS, Catfish Hunter in the 1974 World Series and Jack Billingham in the 1972 World Series.

• Buehler was one of eight pitchers the Dodgers used in the game. This is the most a team has scored in a World Series win and the most in a World Series win over nine innings.

• This was the fifth straight season that Dodgers catcher Will Smith won a World Series ring. In 2023 it was LHP Will Smith (TEX), who also won in 2022 (HOU) and 2021 (ATL). In 2020 it was like that Catcher Will Smith – who hit a home run Pitcher earlier in this postseason run.

• Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit the fifth consecutive home run in Yankees World Series history in the first inning of Game 5. They joined Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson in Game 5 in 1977, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in Game 6 in 1964, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in Game 3 in 1932, and Ruth and Gehrig in Game 4 in 1928. The Yankees became the first team in World Series history to hit multiple home runs in the first inning of a game while facing elimination. With the Dodgers in Game 2, this was the first time there had been multiple sets of consecutive home runs in a single World Series.

• Giancarlo Stanton hit his 18th postseason home run, two more than any other player in his first 41 postseason games. His seven goals that October set a record for the most in a single postseason in the Yankees' storied history.

• Home runs were an issue. Of the 49 runs scored in this Fall Classic, 30 came via home runs. That's 61.2 percent of runs scored by homer, the highest of any World Series, and exceeds 57.4 percent in 2017 (39 of 68 runs).