LOS ANGELES — As Yankees reliever Jake Cousins strolled to the mound for the bottom of the 10th inning, a simple yet delicate task lay before him: Retire the side in order against the bottom-third of the Dodgers lineup — leaving Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman stuck watching — and Game 1 of the World Series would belong to New York.
If one of Will Smith, Gavin Lux or Tommy Edman were to reach base, the entire complexion of the ballgame would change. With Ohtani looming in the leadoff spot, Cousins was sure to be pulled should the soon-to-be NL MVP come to the plate.