Toronto On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage Tames Los Angeles in Fifth Match
Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers six to one on Wednesday evening, needing just one more triumph of their first World Series championship since 1993.
A Rookie's Record-Setting Night
The 22-year-old Yesavage, who debuted in the majors this past September, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – setting a new World Series record. The rookie right-hander allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. He started the season in Class A before sparse crowds, but has now earned two starting wins in the series in this best-of-seven series.
Early Offensive Explosion
Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the first pitch of the game, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to nearly the same spot. It marked the historic first for the Fall Classic that consecutive home runs opened a game, stunning the crowd before most had found their seats.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then assumed command. He retired five straight via strikeout between the early frames, breaking a rookie pitching record before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a home run in the bottom of the third to make it two to one. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.
Extending the Lead
In the fourth inning, Daulton Varsho tripled down the right-field line after a defensive mistake, and Clement delivered a sacrifice fly to bring him home for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers' bats remained quiet from there. After managing six runs in a lengthy extra-inning contest, they’ve managed only four across the past 29 innings.
Late Inning Insurance
The starting pitcher persisted for over six frames but exited in the seventh after the bases became full. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – one on a wild pitch and another on an RBI single – to make it 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the last run.
Relievers Seal the Deal
Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Toronto faithful, and the relievers finished the job. The relief corps each tossed a shutout frame to secure the victory, combining for three strikeouts while maintaining the stellar start.
Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters
The Dodgers, who shuffled their lineup in hopes of igniting the offense, again struggled to get going. Their star slugger went 0-for-4 and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since a record-setting on-base performance in the third game.
Looking Ahead to Game 6
Now up 3–2, Toronto return home with two chances to clinch. The sixth game is set for Friday at their home field.