Blue Jays One Step Away of Glory After Yesavage Dominates Dodgers in Fifth Match
Trey Yesavage turned in a legendary performance and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Blue Jays topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday evening, moving within one victory of their first title since 1993.
Yesavage's Historic Outing
The 22-year-old Yesavage, who made his major league debut in 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. His year commenced in the low minors with minimal fanfare, but has now started and won two of Toronto’s three victories in this championship series.
A Quick Start for Toronto
Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the game's opening offering, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and drove it over the left-field wall. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to almost the exact same place. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that the game began with two straight homers, stunning the crowd before most had taken their places.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then went to work. He struck out five consecutive batters between the second and third innings, setting a rookie record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a solo shot in the third inning to make it two to one. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.
Extending the Lead
In the fourth, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a defensive mistake, and Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to plate the run for a three to one 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 Dodgers starter lasted into the seventh inning but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases became full. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – one on a wild pitch and one more on a base hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the last run.
Bullpen Secures the Win
Yesavage was cheered off the field from the traveling fans, and the pen closed it out. The relief corps each tossed a shutout frame to secure the victory, fanning three batters collectively while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.
Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters
The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in an attempt to generate runs, again couldn't find momentum. Their star slugger went without a hit in four trips and is now riding an 0-for-7 skid since reaching base a World Series-record nine times in the third game.
Looking Ahead to Game 6
Now up 3–2, Toronto return home with two opportunities to win it all. Friday evening features Game 6 at Toronto's ballpark.