There’s a truism in two-player strategy games that the winner is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake. The Dodgers and Yankees proved it in Game 5.

Given that the Dodgers won the first three games, it was almost guaranteed that they’d win the Series (a 15 out of 16 chance without taking anything special into account). But it can also be argued that since Game 1 went to extra innings, Games 2 and 3 were both decided by the score of 4-2, and Game 4 was intentionally a “bullpen game” for the Dodgers (where they used the four “least good” pitchers on their roster), that the teams were evenly matched and the series could just as well gone into Game 5 tied at two games each.

Mistakes by the Dodgers’ pitchers Jack Flaherty and Ryan Brasier gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead after three innings. You kind of have to call those pitches mistakes; they were right in the zone where they could be launched for home runs. And with the Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole dominating, it really did look like the Series would be headed back to Los Angeles.

Then it all fell apart for the Yankees in the top of the fifth.

Kiké Hernández leads off with a single for the Dodgers’ first hit. Not a problem; they were going to get a hit eventually.

Tommy Edman sends an easy fly ball to center. Aaron Judge drops it. OK, maybe he misread it off the bat, maybe he was just a wee bit tired and didn’t get in position quickly enough, it happens…..

With two on, Will Smith hits a slow grounder to short. Anthony Volpe decided to throw to third for the force, but the throw isn’t that good and Jazz Chisholm Jr. boots it. It’s possible Chisolm thought the throw was going to second and didn’t react in time, or maybe Hernández on his slide into third was in just the right spot to make a clean throw a bit more challenging. Still, it’s a play that should be made.

Bases loaded, no outs. Cole isn’t rattled; he strikes out the next two batters, bringing up Mookie Betts. Betts taps a slow roller to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and it’s inning over…..

Except….. it’s one of those moments where things seem to happen in slow motion.

Betts, as certain as anyone that it’s an easy out, doesn’t go full tilt towards first. Rizzo thinks the ball is going faster than it really is, and he doesn’t charge in to pick it up. Cole thinks Rizzo will make the play himself, and doesn’t run to cover first. Betts, now seeing his chance, turns on the jets and beats Rizzo to the bag. Hernández scores for the Dodgers.

OK, that’s one run, the Yankees are still up by four. And taken individually, none of those gaffes should be fatal. A good team can recover from them – especially when there are two outs. But the Dodgers are also a good team that can take advantage of such opportunities – two batters later, the game is tied at 5.

There’s still a chance for the Yankees. The Dodgers have been burning through pitchers, and the Yankees take the lead again in the bottom of the 6^th, thanks to mistakes (two walks) by pitcher Brusdar Graterol

The Yankees have been burning through pitchers, too – and relief pitching hasn’t been one of their strong points. Tommy Kahnle loads the bases by giving up two singles and a walk, sending him to the showers and bringing on Luke Weaver. He gets Gavin Lux to fly out – but it’s deep enough for Hernández to score from third and tie the game.

Then, in the arguably fatal flub, Yankees’ catcher Austin Wells reaches out too far to catch a pitch – and Shohei Ohtani’s swing nicks his glove. Catcher’s Interference. Ohtani takes first, loading the bases again. Mookie Betts hits a fly ball deep enough to score Tommy Edman from third, giving the Dodgers a 7-6 lead they’d never relinquish.

There’d be time for one more unbelievable gaffe. In the top of the ninth, Yankees’ pitcher Luke Weaver must have forgotten about the “two pickoff attempts” rule – and threw over to first to try to nail pinch-runner Chris Taylor a third time. Balk. Taylor goes to second. It didn’t matter in the game, but it was the cherry on top of the Yankees’ misery.

We can go over Game 5 all we want, but the Dodgers had fewer flaws than the Yankees. Pitching was a weak spot for both teams, but the Dodgers showed that they had a deeper, more balanced lineup that didn’t rely on two or three sluggers to carry the team. They also “executed” much better in the field (and not just in Game 5).

Los Angeles clearly had the better team, and they deserve all the accolades they get. A tip of the cap to Series MVP Freddie Freeman, and a nod of appreciation to Bobby Richardson Award [1][2][3] winner Gerrit Cole, who went a total of 12 2/3 innings for New York, giving up only one earned run while striking out 10.