Blue Jays One Step Away of Victory After Rookie Phenom Tames Dodgers in Fifth Match

Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday, needing just one more triumph of their first World Series championship since the 1993 season.

A Rookie's Record-Setting Night

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, fanned a dozen batters without a single walk – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. The rookie right-hander surrendered just one run on three hits over seven frames. He started the season in Class A before sparse crowds, but has now earned two starting wins in the series in this championship series.

Early Offensive Explosion

Toronto’s hitters gave him breathing room almost immediately. On the game's opening offering, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and drove it over the left-field wall. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to almost the exact same place. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that the game began with two straight homers, shocking the spectators before most had settled in.

Yesavage Takes Control

Yesavage then assumed command. He fanned five in a row between the early frames, breaking a rookie pitching record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a solo shot in the bottom of the third to make it two to one. That was the Dodgers' closest approach.

Building the Advantage

In the fourth inning, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a defensive mistake, and Clement delivered a sacrifice fly to bring him home for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers’ offensive struggles deepened from there. After managing six runs in a lengthy extra-inning contest, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The Dodgers starter battled through six and two-thirds innings but exited in the seventh after the bases were packed. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – one on a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to make it 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the last run.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the Toronto faithful, and the relievers finished the job. The bullpen arms each worked a scoreless inning to secure the victory, recording three strikeouts together while protecting the rookie's gem.

Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters

The Dodgers, who adjusted their lineup in search of a spark, again found little traction. Their star slugger went without a hit in four trips and is now hitless in seven at-bats since a record-setting on-base performance in Game 3.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two opportunities to win it all. Game 6 is Friday night at their home field.

Sarah Kennedy
Sarah Kennedy

A certified pharmacist with over 10 years of experience in men's health and medication safety, dedicated to providing evidence-based advice.