🔗 Share this article

Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday, needing just one more triumph of their first title since the 1993 season.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who only reached the big leagues in September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. The rookie right-hander allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. 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.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the game's opening offering, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and homered to left field. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to a similar location. It marked the first time in World Series history that back-to-back homers started a game, shocking the spectators before most had taken their places.

The Pitcher's Dominance

Yesavage then went to work. He struck out five consecutive batters between the second and third innings, setting a rookie record before Hernández ended the run with a solo homer in the third inning to make it two to one. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.

Extending the Lead

In the fourth, 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’ offensive struggles deepened from there. After a six-run output in an 18-inning game, they’ve produced just four runs in their last 29 innings.

Late Inning Insurance

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 – via a wild pitch and one more on a base hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the last run.

Bullpen Secures the Win

Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the Toronto faithful, and the relievers finished the job. The relief corps each worked a scoreless inning to secure the victory, fanning three batters collectively while protecting the rookie's gem.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in search of a spark, again struggled to get going. Their key batter went 0-for-4 and is now riding an 0-for-7 skid since setting a World Series on-base record in the third game.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two chances to clinch. Friday evening features Game 6 at Toronto's ballpark.