Blue Jays On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage Tames Dodgers 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 beat the Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday, moving within one victory of their first World Series championship since 1993.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The young 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. 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 seven-game set.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the initial throw, Schneider drilled a 97-mile-per-hour heater and sent it over the left-field fence. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to nearly the same spot. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that back-to-back homers started a game, stunning the crowd before most had taken their places.

The Pitcher's Dominance

Yesavage then took over. He struck out five consecutive batters between the second and third innings, setting a rookie record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a solo shot in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was the Dodgers' closest approach.

Extending the Lead

In the fourth, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a misplay, and Ernie Clement hit a sac fly to score him for a 3–1 lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter from there. After scoring six runs in Monday’s 18-inning marathon, they’ve managed only four across the past 29 innings.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The starting pitcher 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 – via a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to push the lead to four runs. A hit in the eighth provided the final margin.

Relievers Seal the Deal

Yesavage exited to a standing ovation from the traveling fans, and the pen closed it out. The relief corps each pitched an inning without allowing a run to close it out, combining for three strikeouts while protecting the rookie's gem.

Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters

The Dodgers, who shuffled their lineup in search of a spark, again struggled to get going. Their star slugger went without a hit in four trips and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since a record-setting on-base performance in Game 3.

On the Verge of a Championship

Now up 3–2, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two opportunities to win it all. Friday evening features Game 6 at their home field.

Robert Mooney
Robert Mooney

A tech writer and software developer passionate about AI and emerging technologies, sharing insights from years of industry experience.