The Dodgers believe they have the Yankees where they want them in Game 5 of the World Series

NEW YORK – Despite holding a commanding 3-1 lead over the Yankees in the World Series, the Dodgers have missed many opportunities to score more runs. In Game 4 at Yankee Stadium, Los Angeles left four runners on and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, resulting in an 11-4 loss.

But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t worried about the Yankees possibly winning another game in the series. Despite the lopsided loss, the Dodgers didn’t have to exhaust their bullpen, so they had plenty of maneuverability in Game 5.

“I don’t think anyone expected these guys to back down,” Roberts said. “We had some offense that could have been better, but we knew it was a bullpen game and as far as results go, to have six guys in the box feeling good makes me feel good and are rested.”

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There were times in Game 4 where the Dodgers strategically chose to stay away from their bullpen. In the third inning, with the bases loaded and Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe at the plate, Roberts opted to stick with right-hander Daniel Hudson.

At this point, Hudson had faced five batters, loading the bases on 18 pitches, nine of which were balls called (50%). Roberts could have gone to the bullpen with two left-handed hitters following Volpe – Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia provide a better matchup since they are also left-handed – but instead he stuck with Hudson, who had just forced Anthony Rizzo out.

“He had Volpe,” Roberts said. “I’m not going to bring anyone up to get Volpe in the third inning where you just showed up a guy.”

Before that at-bat, Volpe had gone 1-of-12 with seven strikeouts in 14 World Series plate appearances. He only had one extra-base hit, a double, in the entire postseason. But now he made the Dodgers pay with a grand slam down the left field pitch, giving the Yankees a 5-2 lead in the third inning.

Another game-saving situation for Roberts came in the bottom of the eighth inning. With the Dodgers trailing 6-4, Brent Honeywell came in and tried to keep the game close.

The inning began ideally when Rizzo was struck out on the first pitch. But then Volpe doubled in a six-pitch at-bat and Austin Wells drew a seven-pitch walk, putting runners on first and second. Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo followed with an 11-pitch fielder’s choice that scored Volpe, who had earlier reached third on a stolen base.

With Honeywell throwing 25 pitches to four batters and the Dodgers trailing 7-4, Roberts could have reached into the pen for one of his upper arms. Instead, he left Honeywell in to allow five runs in the inning while throwing 50 pitches.

It was a risky plan for Roberts not to use his powerful arms to win the series. The Yankees’ top starter, Gerrit Cole, takes the ball in Game 5 against Jack Flaherty, who has a 6.10 ERA this postseason. But Flaherty will have an arsenal of backup players waiting to take over should he struggle at any point.

“I feel great. It’s about the people you have available to you,” Roberts said. “Where we are tomorrow, knowing that there is a day off behind it, we are in a great position.”