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

Trey Yesavage turned in a legendary performance and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday, standing one win away of their first championship since the 1993 season.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who only reached the big leagues in September, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – setting a new World Series record. The rookie right-hander 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 provided early support. On the initial throw, Schneider drilled a 97-mile-per-hour heater and sent it over the left-field fence. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr homered as well to nearly the same spot. It marked the historic first for the Fall Classic that the game began with two straight homers, stunning the crowd before most had found their seats.

Yesavage Takes Control

Yesavage then took over. He struck out five consecutive batters between the early frames, setting a rookie record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a solo homer in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.

Building the Advantage

In the fourth inning, Daulton Varsho tripled down the right-field line after a misplay, and Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to bring him home for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers’ offensive struggles deepened 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 persisted for over six frames but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases became full. Both runners he left behind came around to score – one on a wild pitch and another on an RBI single – to extend the lead to 5–1. A eighth-inning base hit provided the final margin.

Bullpen Secures the Win

Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Blue Jays supporters, and the relievers finished the job. The late-inning pitchers each tossed a shutout frame to secure the victory, fanning three batters collectively while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in an attempt to generate runs, again found little traction. Their key batter went hitless in four at-bats and is now hitless in seven at-bats since setting a World Series on-base record in the third game.

On the Verge of a Championship

Now holding a 3-2 lead, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two opportunities to win it all. Friday evening features Game 6 at their home field.

Thomas Hall
Thomas Hall

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