Dodgers secure eighth World Series title in comeback

The Los Angeles Dodgers secured their eighth World Series championship with a dramatic 7-6 comeback victory over the New York Yankees in Game 5, completing a remarkable turnaround after trailing by five runs early in the game. This victory marks their second title in five seasons and their first in a full season since 1988.

The historic comeback was sealed in the eighth inning when Mookie Betts delivered a sacrifice fly to drive in Tommy Edman, breaking a 6-6 tie. The winning rally began against Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle, who loaded the bases before Gavin Lux tied the game with a sacrifice fly. A crucial catcher's interference call involving Shohei Ohtani set up Betts' game-winning play.

The Yankees had built a commanding 5-0 lead early, powered by Aaron Judge's two-run homer, Jazz Chisholm's solo shot, Alex Verdugo's RBI single, and Giancarlo Stanton's home run. However, the Dodgers mounted their historic comeback in the fifth inning, sending ten batters to the plate and capitalizing on defensive miscues by Judge and Anthony Volpe, along with a mental error by Yankees starter Gerrit Cole.

The comeback marked the largest deficit overcome in a World Series clincher, surpassing the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates' four-run recovery. Blake Treinen earned the win with 2⅓ scoreless innings of relief, while Walker Buehler secured his first major league save with a perfect ninth inning.

Cole's strong start (six strikeouts over 6⅔ innings) was undermined by five unearned runs, while Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty struggled early, allowing four runs in just 1⅓ innings before the bullpen steadied the ship.

The victory allowed the Dodgers to avoid becoming the first team to win the first three games of a World Series only to be forced to a sixth game, completing their championship run in five games.