Blue Jays On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage Dominates Los Angeles in Game 5
Trey Yesavage turned in a legendary performance and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday evening, moving within one victory of their first World Series championship since 1993.
Yesavage's Historic Outing
The young Yesavage, who debuted in the majors this past September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – setting a new World Series record. The rookie right-hander gave up only a single run on three hits in seven innings. 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.
Early Offensive Explosion
Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the initial throw, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr homered as well to a similar location. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that consecutive home runs opened a game, shocking the spectators before most had found their seats.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then assumed command. He fanned five in a row between the second and third innings, setting a rookie record before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a solo homer in the bottom of the third to make it two to one. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.
Building the Advantage
In the fourth, Daulton Varsho smacked a triple to right field after a fielding error, and Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to plate the run for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers' bats remained quiet 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 starting pitcher lasted into the seventh inning but was chased in the seventh after the bases became full. Both runners he left behind came around to score – via a wild pitch and one more on a base hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A eighth-inning base hit provided the last run.
Relievers Seal the Deal
Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Blue Jays supporters, and the pen closed it out. The bullpen arms each pitched an inning without allowing a run to secure the victory, recording three strikeouts together while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.
Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters
The Dodgers, who adjusted their lineup in hopes of igniting the offense, again found little traction. Their star slugger went 0-for-4 and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since setting a World Series on-base record in Game 3.
Looking Ahead to Game 6
Now holding a 3-2 lead, Toronto return home with two games to secure the title. Game 6 is Friday night at Rogers Centre.