Blue Jays On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage 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 Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday, standing one win away of their first World Series championship since 1993.

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 – setting a new World Series record. The rookie right-hander gave up only a single run on three hits in seven innings. He started the season in Class A before sparse crowds, but has now earned two starting wins in the series in this championship series.

A Quick Start for Toronto

Toronto’s hitters provided early support. On the initial throw, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and homered to left field. Just moments later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to almost the exact same place. It marked the historic first for the Fall Classic that consecutive home runs opened a game, leaving the audience in awe before most had found their seats.

The Pitcher's Dominance

Yesavage then assumed command. He fanned five in a row between the early frames, breaking a rookie pitching record before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a home run in the third inning to make it two to one. That was the Dodgers' closest approach.

Extending the Lead

In the fourth, Daulton Varsho tripled down the right-field line after a fielding error, and Clement delivered 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 produced just four runs in their last 29 innings.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The starting pitcher persisted for over six frames but exited in the seventh after the Blue Jays loaded the bases. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – via a wild pitch and another on an RBI single – to extend the lead to 5–1. A eighth-inning base hit provided the concluding score.

Bullpen Secures the Win

Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Toronto faithful, and the pen closed it out. The bullpen arms each worked a scoreless inning to close it out, combining for three strikeouts while protecting the rookie's gem.

Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters

The Dodgers, who adjusted their lineup 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 reaching base a World Series-record nine times 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 games to secure the title. The sixth game is set for Friday at Toronto's ballpark.