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 Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday, needing just one more triumph of their first championship since 1993.
A Rookie's Record-Setting Night
The young Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. The rookie right-hander allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. His year commenced in the low minors with minimal fanfare, but has now been the winning pitcher in two of Toronto's three wins in this best-of-seven series.
A Quick Start for Toronto
Toronto’s hitters gave him breathing room almost immediately. On the game's opening offering, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and drove it over the left-field wall. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to almost the exact same place. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that consecutive home runs opened a game, leaving the audience in awe before most had taken their places.
The Pitcher's Dominance
Yesavage then went to work. He retired five straight via strikeout between the early frames, establishing a new rookie mark before Hernández ended the run with a home run in the third inning to make it two to one. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.
Extending the Lead
In the fourth, Daulton Varsho smacked a triple to right field after a misplay, and Ernie Clement hit a sac fly to score him 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.
Late Inning Insurance
The starting pitcher battled through six and two-thirds innings but was chased in the seventh after the bases were packed. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – thanks to a errant throw and one more on a base hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the last run.
Bullpen Secures the Win
Yesavage was cheered off the field from the traveling fans, and the pen closed it out. The late-inning pitchers each pitched an inning without allowing a run to secure the victory, fanning three batters collectively while maintaining the stellar start.
Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters
The Dodgers, who adjusted their lineup in an attempt to generate runs, again struggled to get going. Their star slugger went 0-for-4 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 go back to their own stadium with two games to secure the title. The sixth game is set for Friday at Toronto's ballpark.