Aaron Judge snaps a World Series slump with a homer, then makes a costly error that sparks the Dodgers' rally.

NEW YORK (AP) – Game 5 of the World Series was quite a roller coaster for Aaron Judge.

The star slugger broke out of a postseason slump with his first series home run on Wednesday night, a two-run shot in the first inning that gave the New York Yankees the lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He also made a spectacular catch when hit hard into the outfield fence — and then dropped a simple fly for an error that helped Los Angeles tie the score at 5 at five.

New York's bullpen squandered a one-run lead in the eighth, and the Dodgers held on for a 7-6 win, their eighth championship and second in five years.

“You can't give a team as good as that extra out,” Judge said. “It starts with me coming into the line drive. i was wrong So if that doesn't happen, I think we've got a different story tonight.”

Judge was batting just .152 in October and .133 during his first Fall Classic before sending a 403-foot shot to right-center off starter Jack Flaherty's first pitch.

Three innings later, Judge made an outstanding catch to rob Freddie Freeman of an extra base.

Freeman sent a drive to deep left-center that Judge ran down as he crashed into the fence with his right arm and shoulder near the 399-foot sign. From his knees, the 6-foot-7 center fielder flipped the ball to teammate Alex Verdugo and headed back into the infield.

The Yankee Stadium crowd chanted “MVP! MVP!”

In the fifth, however, Judge took his eyes off Tommy Edman's soft liner at the last minute and threw it out for an error that put two runners on with nobody out.

He said, I did not do the play.

After two more New York defensive errors, the Dodgers tied the score when Freeman hit a two-run single and Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run double off Gerrit Cole with two outs.

The 6-foot-7 Judge also walked twice and doubled in Game 5, but his costly error in center field loomed large.

“We didn't get the job done,” the Yankees captain said.

Judge homered when Juan Soto drew a one-out walk. It was the 16th postseason homer and third this year for Judge, who is expected to win his second AL MVP award in three years next month.

He hasn't gone deep in 29 plate appearances since the tying drive in Cleveland on Oct. 17 in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. Also officiated in Game 2 of that series.

The Jazz followed with another home run by Chisholm Jr. Flaherty, giving the Yankees back-to-back homers in the World Series for the fifth time since Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson connected in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium in 1977.

It was the 14th set of back-to-back homers in Yankees postseason history. Judge and Giancarlo Stanton launched consecutive shots in the eighth inning during Game 3 of the ALCS.

Judge began to show small signs of breaking out in Game 4, when he went 1 for 3 and reached base three times on a walk, pitch and a single. He knocked in a run in the eighth inning with a base hit that made it 11-4, his first RBI of the series.

“We're not done with it,” the judge said. It was fun playing with this group of guys. They really came together, the guys that we signed to come here or we traded, they all fit perfectly at this club.”

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