By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The New York Yankees’ first trip to the World Series in 15 years ended in bitter disappointment on Wednesday after the Los Angeles Dodgers gave them a five-run head start in Game Five before rallying to win 7-6.
The Yankees opened the series with three straight defeats but gave their fans a sliver of hope with an inspired 11-4 Game Four triumph that had Dodgers manager Dave Rogers chewing through his bullpen.
Fans at Yankee Stadium were radiated joy early on in Game Five as the hosts took a five-run lead into the fifth as a once-unlikely Game Six suddenly looked within reach.
Then things began to go wrong, as Yankees ace Gerrit Cole’s defense unraveled around him and a series of mistakes allowed the Dodgers to level.
The Yankees went back in front on Giancarlo Stanton’s sacrifice fly in the sixth but that was wiped out by a pair of runs from their West Coast rivals in the eighth as the Bronx was forced to play host to the Dodgers’ celebrations.
“This is obviously a very difficult moment for us,” said manager Aaron Boone. “This is going to sting forever.”
No team had ever recovered from a 0-3 deficit to win the World Series but the loyal fans who packed their stadium never seemed to doubt their chances of adding to their 27 titles.
Boone himself is no stranger to postseason miracles as he hit the walk-off home run in Game Seven of the 2003 American League Championship Series that sent the Yankees to the World Series.
The Yankees went on to lose that series 4-2 to the Florida Marlins and Boone told reporters he could easily feel his players pain this time around as manager.
“It doesn’t take away my pride of what that room means to me and what that group forged this year and what we’ve been through to get here. But I’m heartbroken,” he said.
“The ending is cruel.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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