YANKEES ERRORS COST THEM GAME FIVE AND THE WORLD SERIES
Game five of the World Series was a microcosm of the 2024 New York Yankees season. For a team loaded with superstar talent, they consistently made mistakes that you see a U14 team make. Despite a terrific start and all of the momentum on their side, errors cost the Yankees the game Wednesday night, and with it, the World Series.
During the regular season, New York committed 93 errors in the field, seventh most in Major League Baseball. In Game five, the Yankees came out of the gates firing, with two home runs in the first inning and an elite start from their ace pitcher Gerrit Cole. They built a 5-0 lead through four innings, and had all of the Bronx in a frenzy, all assuming the series was headed back to Los Angeles for game six, and the Yankees clawing back from down three-games-to-none. Instead, the Dodgers, as elite teams do, took full advantage of three Yankee fielding errors in the fifth inning, producing five unearned runs to tie the game. From that moment on, it just never felt like the home team would win the game, even when they took a one-run lead in the sixth inning. Two runs off of two sacrifice flies in the top of the 8th gave LA the 7-6 lead, which they would hold onto, claiming the franchise’s eighth World Series Championship.
For our friends to the north, history was made as Freddie Freeman became the first Canadian National Team player to be named MVP of the World Series. The 35-year-old broke records, hitting a home run in each of the first four games of the Fall Classic, including a walk-off grand slam in extra innings of game one. He also notched a record 12 RBI in the series, tying Bobby Richardson’s mark set in 1960. Born in California to Canadian-born parents, Freeman holds dual citizenship and chose to represent his late mother Rosemary’s native Canada during the World Baseball Classic in 2017 and 2023.
Another international superstar for the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani may not have performed as he was expected to in the Fall Classic, but given his story, the Japanese phenom has every right to celebrate just the same. Last summer, Ohtani left the team that drafted him, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, for greener pastures with the Dodgers. The goal was simple: have the opportunity to play in the postseason, something he never had in his six years with the Angels. Not only did Ohtani make the playoffs in the first year of his ten-year, 700-million-dollar contract with the Dodgers, but he ended the season on top of the baseball mountain.
A player expected to sign a similar contract this summer is Juan Soto, who was the last Yankee to leave the dugout following the loss last night. New York acquired the 25-year-old superstar from San Diego last offseason, in an effort to show Soto how glorious it can be to play for the Bronx Bombers. In just one year, Soto had his signature Yankee moment, with arguably the best at bat from any Yankee all season, belting the go-ahead home run in extra innings of game five of the ALCS, sending New York to the World Series. Soto is expected to sign an Ohtani-level contract this winter, with all of the deep pocket teams, including the Dodgers, in the mix.
SABRES PREPARE FOR BACK-TO-BACK THIS WEEKEND
When he was hired by the Sabres this summer, Coach Lindy Ruff mentioned that the team’s results on back-to-backs would have to improve if they wanted to make the playoffs. They’ll have the chance to get four points in two nights this weekend as 4-5-1 Buffalo hosts the New York Islanders tonight, before heading to Detroit for a Saturday night meeting with the Red Wings.
As Coach Ruff referenced this summer, the Sabres went 10-13-1 in games played on consecutive days last year. So far this season under their new Coach, Buffalo has gone 0-4 in their two sets of back-to-back games.
Tonight, the Sabres host a stingy New York Islanders team that ranks top ten in the National Hockey League in goals against average and save percentage. New lines will be in rotation tonight for Coach Ruff, as he tries to get both Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn a spark offensively. That duo has been separated after starting the season snake-bitten, with just one goal between the two of them ten games in. Puck drop tonight is at 7PM.
Tomorrow night, the Sabres will be in the motor city for their second meeting with the Red Wings this season. Buffalo defeated Detroit last Saturday, 5-3 at KeyBank Center. The Sabres can expect their opponent to come out flying tomorrow, in contrast to how the Red Wings started the game a week ago, slow and on their heels. Puck drop tomorrow is set for 7:00 as well.
BILLS HOST THE DOLPHINS TO SEPERATE THEMSELVES AT THE TOP OF THE AFC EAST
The Buffalo Bills have won the AFC East Divisional title each of the last four seasons. It’s only week nine, but the Bills have the chance to take a stranglehold on the division with a win this Sunday, as they host the Miami Dolphins.
In their first meeting this season, Buffalo dominated the Dolphins in Miami 31-10 back in week two. During that game, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa went down with a concussion, keeping him out of action for a few weeks. Tua returned to play last week in the Fins’ one-point loss to the Cardinals, but the Miami quarterback looked like himself again, throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown.
Kickoff in the rematch this Sunday is set for 1:00 from Highmark Stadium.
