Blue Jays On the Brink of Glory After Rookie Phenom Tames 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 defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday, 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, fanned a dozen batters without a single 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 earned two starting wins in the series in this seven-game set.

Early Offensive Explosion

Toronto’s hitters gave him breathing room almost immediately. On the initial throw, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr homered as well to a similar location. It marked the historic first for the Fall Classic that the game began with two straight homers, shocking the spectators before most had taken their places.

Yesavage Takes Control

Yesavage then went to work. He fanned five in a row between the early frames, setting a rookie record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a solo homer in the third inning to make it two to one. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.

Building the Advantage

In the fourth, Daulton Varsho tripled down the right-field line after a defensive mistake, and Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to score him for a three to one lead. The Dodgers’ offensive struggles deepened from there. After managing six runs in a lengthy extra-inning contest, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Late Inning Insurance

The Dodgers starter lasted into the seventh inning but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases became full. 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 single in the eighth provided the concluding score.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the traveling fans, and the relievers finished the job. The bullpen arms each worked a scoreless inning to end the game, combining for three strikeouts while maintaining the stellar start.

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 hitless in seven at-bats since setting a World Series on-base record in Game 3.

On the Verge of a Championship

Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto return home with two opportunities to win it all. Friday evening features Game 6 at their home field.

Rachel Adams
Rachel Adams

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