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

Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday, standing one win away of their first championship since 1993.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The young 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 rookie right-hander gave up only a single run on three hits in seven innings. He began the year pitching before a few hundred fans in Class A ball, but has now started and won two of Toronto’s three victories in this best-of-seven series.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the initial throw, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to nearly the same spot. 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 took over. He retired five straight via strikeout between the second and third innings, establishing a new rookie mark 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 the Dodgers' closest approach.

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 three to one lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter from there. After managing six runs in a lengthy extra-inning contest, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Late Inning Insurance

The Dodgers starter lasted into the seventh inning but was chased in the seventh after the bases were packed. The two inherited runners scored – one on a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the final margin.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage exited to a standing ovation from the Blue Jays supporters, and the pen closed it out. The bullpen arms each tossed a shutout frame to close it out, fanning three batters collectively while protecting the rookie's gem.

Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in search of a spark, again struggled to get going. Their star slugger went without a hit in four trips and is now riding an 0-for-7 skid since setting a World Series on-base record in Game 3.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto return home with two chances to clinch. Game 6 is Friday night at Toronto's ballpark.

Brandon Cook
Brandon Cook

A tech enthusiast and blockchain expert with a passion for decentralized systems and open-source innovation.