Blue Jays One Step Away of Glory After Rookie Phenom Tames Dodgers in Game 5
Trey Yesavage turned in a legendary performance and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday evening, moving within one victory of their first World Series championship since 1993.
Yesavage's Historic Outing
The young Yesavage, who debuted in the majors this past September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. The first-year pitcher 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 been the winning pitcher in two of Toronto's three wins in this seven-game set.
Early Offensive Explosion
Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the initial throw, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr homered as well to almost the exact same place. It marked the first time in World Series history that back-to-back homers started a game, leaving the audience in awe before most had settled in.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then took over. He struck out five consecutive batters between the early frames, establishing a new rookie mark before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a home run in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was the Dodgers' closest approach.
Building the Advantage
In the fourth, Daulton Varsho smacked a triple to right field after a fielding error, 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 a six-run output in an 18-inning game, they’ve produced just four runs in their last 29 innings.
Late Inning Insurance
The Dodgers starter persisted for over six frames 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 another on an RBI single – to extend the lead to 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the final margin.
Bullpen Secures the Win
Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Toronto faithful, and the bullpen did the rest. The relief corps each worked a scoreless inning to end the game, recording three strikeouts together while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.
Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters
The Dodgers, who adjusted their lineup in an attempt to generate runs, again couldn't find momentum. Their top hitter went hitless in four at-bats and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since a record-setting on-base performance in the third game.
Looking Ahead to Game 6
Now holding a 3-2 lead, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two chances to clinch. The sixth game is set for Friday at Rogers Centre.