Blue Jays On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage Tames Los Angeles in Game 5

Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Dodgers 6–1 on Wednesday evening, standing one win away of their first championship since 1993.

A Rookie's Record-Setting Night

The young Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks – achieving a historic World Series first. 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 seven-game set.

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. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to a similar location. 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 went to work. He struck out five consecutive batters between the second and third innings, breaking a rookie pitching record before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a solo shot in the third inning 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 Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to plate the run for a three to one lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter 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 exited in the seventh after the bases became full. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – one on a wild pitch and the other on a run-scoring hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the last run.

Bullpen Secures the Win

Yesavage exited to a standing ovation from the Toronto faithful, and the bullpen did the rest. The late-inning pitchers each tossed a shutout frame to secure the victory, recording three strikeouts together while protecting the rookie's gem.

Offensive Woes Continue

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in an attempt to generate runs, again couldn't find momentum. Their key batter went 0-for-4 and is now hitless in seven at-bats since a record-setting on-base performance in Game 3.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now leading the series three games to two, Toronto head back to their home ballpark with two opportunities to win it all. The sixth game is set for Friday at Toronto's ballpark.

Lisa Wilson
Lisa Wilson

Interior designer with a passion for sustainable home styling and creative DIY solutions.