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

Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday, needing just one more triumph of their first championship since 1993.

A Rookie's Record-Setting Night

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who debuted in the majors this past September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – setting a new World Series record. The first-year pitcher allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. His year commenced in the low minors with minimal fanfare, but has now earned two starting wins in the series in this best-of-seven series.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the first pitch of the game, Schneider drilled a 97-mile-per-hour heater and sent it over the left-field fence. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to a similar location. 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 settled in.

Yesavage Takes Control

Yesavage then went to work. He fanned five in a row between the second and third innings, breaking a rookie pitching record before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a home run 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 bring him home for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers' bats remained quiet from there. After scoring six runs in Monday’s 18-inning marathon, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Late Inning Insurance

The starting pitcher battled through six and two-thirds innings but exited in the seventh after the bases were packed. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – thanks to a errant throw and another on an RBI single – to make it 5–1. A eighth-inning base hit provided the last run.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Toronto faithful, 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 search of a spark, again found little traction. Their key batter went hitless in four at-bats and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since setting a World Series on-base record in the third game.

On the Verge of a Championship

Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto return home with two opportunities to win it all. The sixth game is set for Friday at Toronto's ballpark.

Dominique Green
Dominique Green

A passionate PHP developer with over 10 years of experience in building scalable web applications and sharing knowledge through writing.