Blue Jays One Step Away of Victory After Rookie Phenom Dominates Los Angeles in Game 5

Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday evening, standing one win away of their first title since the 1993 season.

A Rookie's Record-Setting Night

The young Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – achieving a historic World Series first. The first-year pitcher allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. He began the year pitching before a few hundred fans in Class A ball, but has now started and won two of Toronto’s three victories in this best-of-seven series.

Early Offensive Explosion

Toronto’s hitters gave him breathing room almost immediately. On the game's opening offering, Schneider drilled a 97-mile-per-hour heater and homered to left field. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to a similar location. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that consecutive home runs opened a game, stunning the crowd before most had found their seats.

The Pitcher's Dominance

Yesavage then took over. He struck out five consecutive batters between the second and third innings, establishing a new rookie mark before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a solo homer in the bottom of the third to make it 2–1. That was the Dodgers' closest approach.

Extending the Lead

In the fourth, Daulton Varsho smacked a triple to right field after a fielding error, 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.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The starting pitcher battled through six and two-thirds innings but exited in the seventh after the bases were packed. Both runners he left behind came around to score – thanks to a errant throw 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 exited to a standing ovation from the Toronto faithful, and the pen closed it out. The relief corps each tossed a shutout frame to secure the victory, recording three strikeouts together while protecting the rookie's gem.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who shuffled their lineup in hopes of igniting the offense, again struggled to get going. Their key batter went hitless in four at-bats and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since reaching base a World Series-record nine times in the third game.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now up 3–2, Toronto return home with two games to secure the title. The sixth game is set for Friday at their home field.

Diana Foster
Diana Foster

A tech enthusiast and digital artist with a passion for blending creativity and code in innovative projects.