The long-term question that will linger from the Yankees’ devastating World Series meltdown

What was the most stunning part of the calamitous fifth inning in Game 5 of the World Series that brought down the Yankees?

Maybe it was the fact that Gerrit Cole was tossing a no-hitter with a five-run lead and couldn’t finish the inning with the lead intact, let alone the no-hitter, but bad innings happen, even to great pitchers.

There was the uncharacteristically sloppy throw to third by shortstop Anthony Volpe that allowed Tommy Edman to reach third safely to load the bases with no one out, but that wasn’t an easy play.

Perhaps it was the squibber that Mookie Betts turned into a single thanks to bad plays by Cole and Anthony Rizzo — both typically heady veterans — almost simultaneously that meant no one was close to the bag by the time Betts got there, which scored the Dodgers’ first run and extended the inning.