Yankees' defensive meltdown, Gerrit Cole falling apart completely flip Game 5 for Dodgers

With the Los Angeles Dodgers down 5-0 and Gerrit Cole pitching a no-hitter through four innings, the most pessimistic of Dodgers fans were probably calling it a game right then and there. The New York Yankees would be the first team in baseball history to force a Game 6 in the World Series, and that would be that.

But something happened to the Yankees in the top of the fifth. Kiké Hernández singled easily, and then Tommy Edman poked a sinker into center field that Aaron Judge looked like he was going to field easily. But no, the ball escaped Judge's grip somehow, and both runners were safe on the error. No outs.

Will Smith was the next man up. He chopped a ball to the hole, where it was scooped up by Anthony Volpe, who flipped it to third — but badly. Jazz Chisholm couldn't grab it, and everyone was safe. By no fault of Cole's own, he was stuck in a bases-loaded jam.

Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani both went down swinging to give Cole a little more room to breathe, but the Yankees' awful fielding kept being awful. Mookie Betts hit a grounder to Anthony Rizzo near first, but as Betts booked it down the line, Rizzo just decided that he ... couldn't beat it out? Couldn't even try?

One run scored, and the bases were still loaded. That was enough to open up the floodgates for a rally.

Dodgers stage a stunning five-run fifth inning, taking advantage of Gerrit Cole wavering and terrible Yankees defense

Freddie Freeman, the most terrifying hitter in the Dodgers' lineup right now, came up to follow Betts and hopefully not leave the Dodgers having to face a renewed conversation about their postseason struggles with runners in scoring position. It would've been a great time for another grand slam, but he still got a fastball down into center field for a single that scored two.

Teoscar Hernández was up next, looking to remind everyone exactly how deep this Dodgers lineup is. On a middle-in cutter, he took advantage of Cole's shaking confidence and doubled to score Freeman and Betts. Stunningly, this game was tied.

Max Muncy walked to keep the rally alive, but Kiké Hernández went down swinging to put an end to Cole's nightmare inning. There's still a lot of game to go, but suddenly this isn't a blowout anymore. It's just a really, really good — and potentially title-earning — ballgame.