Blue Jays On the Brink of Victory After Rookie Phenom Tames Los Angeles in Fifth Match

Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday evening, needing just one more triumph of their first championship since the 1993 season.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. The rookie right-hander surrendered just one run on three hits over seven frames. His year commenced in the low minors with minimal fanfare, but has now started and won two of Toronto’s three victories in this seven-game set.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the game's opening offering, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to almost the exact same place. It marked the first time in World Series history that the game began with two straight homers, 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, breaking a rookie pitching record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a solo homer in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.

Building the Advantage

In the fourth inning, Daulton Varsho tripled down the right-field line after a defensive mistake, 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 scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The Dodgers starter lasted into the seventh inning but couldn’t escape the seventh after the Blue Jays loaded the bases. The two inherited runners scored – via a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to push the lead to four runs. A single in the eighth provided the concluding score.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage exited to a standing ovation from the Toronto faithful, and the bullpen did the rest. The bullpen arms each pitched an inning without allowing a run to close it out, combining for three strikeouts while protecting the rookie's gem.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who shuffled their lineup in search of a spark, again couldn't find momentum. Their key batter 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 the third game.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now up 3–2, Toronto return home with two games to secure the title. Game 6 is Friday night at Rogers Centre.