Toronto On the Brink of Victory After Rookie Phenom Dominates Los Angeles in Game 5
Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday, standing one win away of their first title since the 1993 season.
Yesavage's Historic Outing
The 22-year-old Yesavage, who debuted in the majors this past September, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. 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 best-of-seven 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. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to almost the exact same place. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that back-to-back homers started a game, leaving the audience in awe before most had taken their places.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then went to work. He struck out five consecutive batters between the early frames, setting a rookie record before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a solo homer in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.
Extending the Lead
In the fourth inning, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a misplay, and Clement delivered a sacrifice fly to bring him home for a 3–1 lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter 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 Dodgers starter battled through six and two-thirds innings but was chased in the seventh after the bases were packed. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – via a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the concluding score.
Relievers Seal the Deal
Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the Toronto faithful, and the pen closed it out. The relief corps each pitched an inning without allowing a run to secure the victory, fanning three batters collectively while protecting the rookie's gem.
Offensive Woes Continue
The Dodgers, who adjusted their lineup in an attempt to generate runs, again struggled to get going. Their star slugger went without a hit in four trips and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since reaching base a World Series-record nine times in the third game.
Looking Ahead to Game 6
Now up 3–2, Toronto go back to their own stadium with two chances to clinch. Game 6 is Friday night at their home field.