Toronto On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage Dominates Los Angeles in Fifth Match

Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound 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, needing just one more triumph of their first championship since 1993.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who only reached the big leagues in September, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – achieving a historic World Series first. 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 been the winning pitcher in two of Toronto's three wins in this seven-game set.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the game's opening offering, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and drove it over the left-field wall. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run 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 found their seats.

Yesavage Takes Control

Yesavage then took over. He fanned five in a row between the second and third innings, setting a rookie record before Hernández ended the run with a solo shot in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.

Building the Advantage

In the fourth, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a misplay, and Clement delivered a sacrifice fly to plate the run 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 scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The starting pitcher lasted into the seventh inning but exited in the seventh after the bases were packed. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – via a wild pitch and one more on a base hit – to make it 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the final margin.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage was cheered off the field from the traveling fans, and the bullpen did the rest. The relief corps each tossed a shutout frame to close it out, combining for three strikeouts while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who shuffled their lineup in search of a spark, again found little traction. Their top hitter 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 Game 3.

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 Toronto's ballpark.

Wendy Guerra
Wendy Guerra

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