Yankees Take Game 5, Flaherty Struggles in St. Louis
The New York Yankees clawed their way back to even the series at 2-2 with a convincing 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 at Busch Stadium. The victory was fueled by a strong pitching performance from Gerrit Cole and a timely offensive outburst from the Bombers.
Let's be real, this game was all about Cole. The Yankees ace was electric, allowing just one run on four hits over seven innings while striking out eight. Cole was in complete control, shutting down the Cardinals' bats and giving the Yankee offense the breathing room they needed.
On the other side of the field, the Cardinals' starter, Jack Flaherty, struggled mightily. The right-hander was roughed up for four runs (three earned) on eight hits in just four innings. Flaherty just couldn't find his groove, and the Yankee bats capitalized on every mistake.
The Yankees got on the board early with a two-run homer from Aaron Judge in the first inning. Judge continued his hot streak, leading the way for the Yankees with a 3-for-4 performance. It was a real show of force from the reigning MVP.
The Cardinals did manage to get a run back in the bottom of the first on a solo home run from Paul Goldschmidt, but that was all they could muster. The Yankees added three more runs in the 5th inning on a two-run single by Giancarlo Stanton and an RBI single by Anthony Rizzo. That was all she wrote for the Cards.
It was a much-needed win for the Yankees, who were staring down the barrel of a 3-1 deficit. ** The series now heads back to New York for Game 6 on Monday. Will the Yankees capitalize on their momentum? Or can the Cardinals steal back home-field advantage? We'll find out soon enough. ** Stay tuned!