Toronto On the Brink of Glory After Rookie Phenom Dominates Dodgers in Fifth Match

Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound 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 title since 1993.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who only reached the big leagues 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. 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 championship series.

Early Offensive Explosion

Toronto’s hitters gave him breathing room almost immediately. On the initial throw, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and homered to left field. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to nearly the same spot. It marked the first time in World Series history that the game began with two straight homers, shocking the spectators before most had settled in.

The Pitcher's Dominance

Yesavage then went to work. He fanned five in a row between the second and third innings, setting a rookie record before Hernández ended the run with a home run in the bottom of the third to make it two to one. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.

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 bring him home for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers' bats remained quiet from there. After a six-run output in an 18-inning game, they’ve produced just four runs in their last 29 innings.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The Dodgers starter battled through six and two-thirds innings but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases were packed. Both runners he left behind came around to score – one on 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 final margin.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the traveling fans, and the bullpen did the rest. The bullpen arms each worked a scoreless inning to secure the victory, recording three strikeouts together while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in search of a spark, again couldn't find momentum. Their key batter went hitless in four at-bats and is now riding an 0-for-7 skid since reaching base a World Series-record nine times in Game 3.

On the Verge of a Championship

Now holding a 3-2 lead, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two chances to clinch. Friday evening features Game 6 at Toronto's ballpark.