Toronto One Step Away of Victory After Yesavage Tames Los Angeles in Game 5
Trey Yesavage turned in a legendary performance and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers six to one on Wednesday, needing just one more triumph of their first World Series championship since the 1993 season.
A Rookie's Record-Setting Night
The young Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – setting a new World Series record. The first-year pitcher gave up only a single run on three hits in seven innings. He began the year pitching before a few hundred fans in Class A ball, but has now earned two starting wins in the series in this championship series.
A Quick Start for Toronto
Toronto’s hitters gave him breathing room almost immediately. On the first pitch of the game, Schneider connected with a high-velocity fastball and drove it over the left-field wall. Immediately after, Vladimir Guerrero Jr followed with another blast to almost the exact same place. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that back-to-back homers started a game, shocking the spectators before most had found their seats.
Yesavage Takes Control
Yesavage then went to work. He retired five straight via strikeout between the early frames, establishing a new rookie mark before Kiké Hernández finally broke the streak with a home run in the third inning to make it two to one. That was the nearest the Dodgers came.
Extending the Lead
In the fourth inning, Daulton Varsho tripled down the right-field line after a misplay, and Ernie Clement hit a sac fly to score him for a 3–1 lead. The Dodgers’ offensive struggles deepened from there. After managing six runs in a lengthy extra-inning contest, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.
Seventh-Inning Rally
The starting pitcher persisted for over six frames but exited in the seventh after the bases became full. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – thanks to a errant throw and one more on a base hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A single in the eighth provided the last run.
Relievers Seal the Deal
Yesavage received a standing ovation upon leaving from the traveling fans, and the pen closed it out. The bullpen arms each tossed a shutout frame to close it out, 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 struggled to get going. Their key batter went hitless in four at-bats and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since setting a World Series on-base record in the third game.
On the Verge of a Championship
Now holding a 3-2 lead, Toronto go back to their own stadium with two games to secure the title. Friday evening features Game 6 at their home field.