Blue Jays One Step Away of Glory After Rookie Phenom Tames Los Angeles in Fifth Match
Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday evening, moving within one victory of their first World Series championship since the 1993 season.
Yesavage's Historic Outing
The young Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, fanned a dozen batters without a single walk – achieving a historic World Series first. The first-year pitcher surrendered just one run on three hits over seven frames. He started the season in Class A before sparse crowds, but has now been the winning pitcher in two of Toronto's three wins in this championship series.
A Quick Start for Toronto
Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the game's opening offering, Schneider drilled a 97-mile-per-hour heater and homered to left field. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to nearly the same spot. It marked the first time in World Series history that the game began with two straight homers, stunning the crowd before most had found their seats.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then assumed command. He struck out five consecutive batters between the early frames, setting a rookie record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a home run in the third inning to make it two to one. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.
Building the Advantage
In the fourth, Daulton Varsho smacked a triple to right field after a fielding error, and Ernie Clement hit a sac fly to plate the run for a three to one lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter from there. After a six-run output in an 18-inning game, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.
Late Inning Insurance
The Dodgers starter lasted into the seventh inning but couldn’t escape the seventh after the Blue Jays loaded the bases. Both runners he left behind came around to score – via a wild pitch and another on an RBI single – to make it 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the last run.
Bullpen Secures the Win
Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the traveling fans, and the pen closed it out. The late-inning pitchers each worked a scoreless inning to secure the victory, recording three strikeouts together while maintaining the stellar start.
Offensive Woes Continue
The Dodgers, who shuffled their lineup in search of a spark, again struggled to get going. Their top hitter went without a hit in four trips and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since a record-setting on-base performance in the third game.
On the Verge of a Championship
Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two opportunities to win it all. Friday evening features Game 6 at Toronto's ballpark.