At the start of the fifth inning Monday night, the Yankee Stadium scoreboard implored a quiet crowd in the Bronx.

“EVERYBODY GET LOUD,” it instructed.

“EVERYBODY SCREAM,” it begged.

The subdued 49,368 in attendance hardly reacted.

As he’d done so many times before this time of year, Walker Buehler had already zapped them of any life.

For much of this season — his first back from a second career Tommy John surgery — Buehler looked nothing like his old self. His once-overpowering fastball was getting crushed by opponents. His secondary stuff didn’t have the same life. His mechanics were so out of whack that, during a month-long stint on the injured list in the summer, he went to a private facility in Florida, searching for any shred of consistent effectiveness.

In his final season before a long-awaited free agency, he endured a frustrating six-month grind.

October, however, has been a different story. And on Monday night, it culminated in what could be a storybook finish.

In a 4-2 Dodgers win that gave them a three-games-to-none lead in the World Series, Buehler delivered a vintage October gem to put them on the doorstep of a championship.

Five innings. Zero runs. Five strikeouts.

All in what might be his final start with the organization.

“This is as confident as I’ve seen him,” manager Dave Roberts said in a mid-game interview with Fox. “This is as good as his stuff has been.”

Buehler and the Dodgers are certainly hoping Monday was the right-hander’s last start of this season. His only chance to pitch again in this series wouldn’t come until a potential Game 7. Given the way the first three games have gone, even a fifth game is starting to look unnecessary.