Dodgers' defensive mistakes prove costly

Inability to play a clean Game 5 one reason why team is on edge of disaster

- BILL SHAIKIN COLUMNIST

DODGERS second baseman Tommy Edman had to settle for a force play at second after a wayward relay from shortstop in Game 5.

(ROBERT GAUTHIER Los Angeles Times)

You remember the stickers. You might even have one yourself.

They were the stickers that reproduced the Fox Sports score box, showing the New York Yankees leading the Dodgers, 5-0, with two outs in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series.

The Dodgers would clinch the series that night, because the Yankees imploded in that inning: Aaron Judge dropped a fly ball, Anthony Volpe committed a throwing error, Gerrit Cole did not cover first base, and the Dodgers tied the score before the Yankees finally secured that third out.

It wasn't quite like that for the Dodgers on Wednesday, but it was uncomfortably close. The Dodgers' mistakes were scattered over nine innings, not clustered in one.

They were not eliminated from the World Series. If they play another defensive game like this one, they just might be.

After a sluggish 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in this year's Game 5, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked what disappointed him the most about the game.

It could have been his team's disappearing offense. The Dodgers have scored three runs in their past two games, and they're batting .201 in the series.

On Wednesday, the top four batters-Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman went a combined 1 for 15 with eight strikeouts.

It could have been his team's bullpen, again.