It was the perfect storm of mental mistakes and clutch hitting to provide what looked like a clear path to force Game 6 back in Los Angeles. The Dodgers’ advantage in postseason experience was never more evident than in their ability to come back in a lopsided game while their opponent let up on the pressure.

The Yankees took the lead back on a Giancarlo Stanton sacrifice fly, but the momentum never left the Dodgers dugout. In the top of the eighth, they took the lead for good on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Bets.

It is now the largest comeback ever in a World Series clinching game.

Dave Roberts is proving to be a great manager

Jack Flaherty was thrust into the role of the Dodgers’ de facto playoff staff ace when Tyler Glasnow hit the disabled list and Clayton Kershaw was unavailable. His performance had been a mixed bag all October.

He threw gems in Game 1 of the NLCS (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER) and Game 1 of the World Series (5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER), but was bombed against the New York Mets the second time in Game 5 (3.0 IP, 8 H, 8 ER) and suffered a similar fate Wednesday night.

The 29-year-old recorded just four outs, allowing four hits and four earned runs. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was forced to mix and match for the final 23 outs of the game.

• Anthony Banda: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Ryan Brasier: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Michael Kopech: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Alex Vesia: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Brusdar Graterol: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• Blake Treinen: W, 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Walker Buehler: SV, 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

He trusted closer Blake Treinen to throw a career-high 42 pitches in 2.1 scoreless innings. He pitched out of a jam in which Brusdar Graterol entered in the sixth, went 1-2-3 in the seventh and struck out an eighth inning in which the tying run was in scoring position.

He then put the ball in the hands of Game 3 starter Walker Buehler to get the final three outs despite an inconsistent season from the former front-runner returning from Tommy John surgery. He struck out two of the three batters he faced and needed 16 pitches to earn the save.

Even looking back at Game 4, Roberts made the wise decision to let Landon Knack and Brent Honeywell pitch innings in a lopsided loss, keeping all of his top arms when he needed each of them.

It’s easy to shine a light on the manager when those pitching decisions don’t work, and Roberts has been on the wrong end of the spotlight in the past when the Dodgers have come up short, but this was a master class from the manager. seat.

The World Series champions used a bullpen in place of a No. 4 starter in the postseason to mixed results, but when an unexpected bullpen was thrust upon him in Game 5, he didn’t flinch.

Redefining the Dodgers legacy

The Dodgers have won the NL West title 11 times in the past 12 years, and while this was their fourth trip to the World Series in that span, it was their first win in the Fall Classic outside of the abbreviated 2020 season.

This title didn’t come with the usual celebration and parade, and haters widely interpreted it as less valuable than a season title.

The parallels to the Atlanta Braves teams that won 14 consecutive division titles in the 1990s and 2000s but only won one World Series during that span were all too easy to draw, but that narrative is dead.

The letdown has been especially strong in the past two seasons leading up to this year’s title run.

The 2022 Dodgers were a runaway freight train during the regular season, winning 111 games and posting a ridiculous plus-334 differential, but they were dispatched by the rival San Diego Padres in four games in the NLDS.

They reached 100 wins again last season, only to fall to another NL West foe in the Arizona Diamondbacks, who swept them in three games after exiting the Wild Card Round.

That disappointment served as the starting point for a spending spree that eclipsed $1 billion during the offseason, but moves made on the fringes of the roster had just as much of an impact during the playoffs.

From deadline acquisition Tommy Edman, who won NLCS MVP, to a carefully assembled relief corps that carried a significant load throughout the playoffs, all the pieces fell into place for this year’s Dodgers team to finally rise to the top of the baseball world.

On the other hand, Shohei Ohtani and his $700 million contract were largely non-factors in the World Series. He went 2-for-19 with an extra-base hit and zero RBI, clearly slowed by a shoulder injury he suffered in Game 2. Slugger Max Muncy (0-for-16, 10 K) was, of also a non-factor.

With a stacked roster, money to spend and Ohtani set to return to the mound in 2025, the idea of ​​repeating seems very possible as this could be an even better team next year.

Every dynasty has to start somewhere.

Now it’s up to the Dodgers to continue to meet even higher expectations as they set their sights on a 12th NL West title in 13 years and another in 2025.