Toronto One Step Away of Glory After Yesavage Dominates Dodgers in Game 5
Trey Yesavage turned in a legendary performance and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday evening, standing one win away 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, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – setting a new World Series record. The first-year pitcher allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. He started the season in Class A before sparse crowds, but has now started and won two of Toronto’s three victories in this seven-game set.
Early Offensive Explosion
Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the game's opening offering, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to almost the exact same place. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that the game began with two straight homers, shocking the spectators before most had found their seats.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then went to work. He struck out five consecutive batters between the second and third innings, breaking a rookie pitching record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a home run in the bottom of the third to make it two to one. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.
Extending the Lead
In the fourth inning, Daulton Varsho smacked a triple to right field after a misplay, and Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to score him for a three to one lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter from there. After scoring six runs in Monday’s 18-inning marathon, they’ve managed only four across the past 29 innings.
Late Inning Insurance
The starting pitcher lasted into the seventh inning but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases became full. The two inherited runners scored – via a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to make it 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the last run.
Relievers Seal the Deal
Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Blue Jays supporters, and the bullpen did the rest. The relief corps each tossed a shutout frame to end the game, combining for three strikeouts while maintaining the stellar start.
Offensive Woes Continue
The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in hopes of igniting the offense, again struggled to get going. Their key batter went 0-for-4 and is now hitless in seven at-bats since a record-setting on-base performance in the third game.
On the Verge of a Championship
Now holding a 3-2 lead, Toronto return home with two games to secure the title. Game 6 is Friday night at Rogers Centre.