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Gerrit Cole's legendary start failed in the fifth inning full of errors

Gerrit Cole's legendary start failed in the fifth inning full of errors

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Gerrit Cole was on a cruise.

The Yankees hitters had come to life.

After four innings the score was 5-0 and the Dodgers had no hits.

The World Series seemed destined for Friday night in Los Angeles.

Gerrit Cole pitched a gem for the Yankees before Game 5. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Then it all came crashing down for the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

Defense played a big role, including his own inability to cover first base, but Cole also couldn't shut down Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez at a big point.

While he left the Yankees with a one-run lead, he gave himself a five-run lead in Wednesday night's season-ending 7-6 loss to the Dodgers at Stadium.

Gerrit Cole failed to cover first base on a play that extended a Dodgers rally. Jason Scenes/New York Post

In his biggest start in the pinstripes, Cole turned in his second-longest outing of the postseason, going 6 ²/₃ innings without allowing an earned run, striking out six and walking four.

He retired six of the last seven Dodgers he faced, finally pulling away after striking out Freeman with two outs in the seventh.

But the Yankees needed Cole to hit like an ace.

To send this World Series back to Los Angeles.

Gerrit Cole and the Yankees made a series of errors in the fifth inning. Jason Scenes/New York Post

Aside from a disastrous fifth inning marred by several in-field misplays, he was mostly up to the task.

But oh, that fifth inning.

Cole started the game at his best, retiring the first eight batters he faced and not allowing a hit until Enrique Hernandez's leadoff single in the fifth.


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Then everything went wrong.

Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe made errors on consecutive plays.

After Cole took out Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani and looked like he was going to get away, another defensive blunder followed.

Anthony Rizzo bobbled a Mookie Betts roller, and Cole failed to reach first base to cover, allowing the Dodgers' first run to score.

Cole failed to strike out either Freeman or Hernandez and allowed two-strike hits to both, allowing the Dodgers to tie with five hits.

Aaron Judge dropped a routine fly ball in the fifth. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Freeman hit a 99 mph fastball that caught too much off the plate and sent it flying to center field for two runs.

Hernandez smoked a slider so Cole didn't get far enough away and scored two more runs.

To Cole's credit, he responded to the five-run fifth by stopping the Dodgers from there.

It was there that Cole found his best, striking out six straight runs after a walk against Max Muncy.

He threw 108 throws, his most in a game all year.

Anthony Volpe made a bad throw on a ground ball in the fifth. Jason Scenes/New York Post

Because of the high number of pitches, he didn't tire too late.

He dumped the tank on the mound in his swansong of 2024.

“I wouldn't trust anyone else. He’s Gerrit Cole,” co-starter Carlos Rodon said earlier in the day. “I was asked that last night. His resume speaks for itself, a future Hall of Famer.”

It's been a strange year for Cole.

Gerrit Cole did everything right and got deep into the game. Jason Scenes/New York Post

Due to elbow problems, he didn't make his first appearance until June 19th.

He was up and down on the mound, posting a 3.41 ERA while his workload was closely monitored.

His first start in the playoffs was shaky, a four-run effort over five innings against the Royals.

But in his last four appearances, he held opponents at bay with four earned runs over 24 innings.

Still there was the fifth inning.

The Freeman and Hernandez bats.

Cole couldn't maintain the five-run lead.

The Yankees are going home.

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