The Yankees put on a tough contest in a tension-filled Game 5 of the World Series, and it was against themselves.

It was once again the Yankees’ overwhelming talent versus their disappointing recklessness.

It was their skill versus their negligence.

As it turns out, their talent couldn’t carry the day, resulting in a devastating loss and a painful elimination as the highly competent but significantly stronger Dodgers were crowned World Series champions.

The Yankees were hoping to book a flight to Hollywood, to continue trying to write the greatest World Series storyline of all time, but instead they wrote a heartbreaking final chapter in their 7-6 loss to the Dodgers before a sold-out Yankee Stadium in the game of renowned franchises.

The Yankees hoped to join the 2004 Red Sox as the only team to win a playoff series of any kind after falling behind 3-0 in games, which you will recall was done against the Yankees in the ALCS. But instead, a very good season, which culminated in their first Fall Classic appearance in 15 years, ended in heartbreak.

The Yankees were unable to overcome their errors, blowing leads of 5-0 and 6-5. Their richest stars shone in the final before abject general neglect saw them disappear.

“At this elite level, in the playoffs especially, it’s really a battle of the slightest mistake, and it shows,” Giancarlo Stanton said. “The more outs you offer…it costs a lot.”

Some regular season MVP Aaron Judge hit his first World Series homer, doubled and walked twice as the Yanks appeared to be doing well – he would emerge in October. The new Mr. October, Giancarlo Stanton, homered again and Juan Soto reached base four times. And, oh yes, ace Gerrit Cole pitched the seventh without allowing an earned run – although there were five unearned runs during an unforgettable nightmare of a fifth inning.

That’s when the Dodgers evened the score thanks to errors by Judge and Anthony Volpe and a failure to record an out on a routine two-out loaded grounder by Mookie Betts to first base (Cole and first baseman Anthony Rizzo both assumed the other would make it) on a play that could have kept the inning scoreless.

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In the end, distraction outweighed ability. It was a sad way for the very talented club to go out.