Blue Jays On the Brink of Victory After Yesavage Dominates Los Angeles in Fifth Match

Trey Yesavage delivered a performance for the ages and Davis Schneider homered on the very first pitch as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Los Angeles Dodgers six to one on Wednesday evening, moving within one victory of their first championship since 1993.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, struck out 12 without issuing a walk – setting a new World Series record. The rookie right-hander allowed one run on three hits across seven innings. 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 jumped out to a fast lead. On the first pitch of the game, Schneider turned on a 97mph fastball and sent it over the left-field fence. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to nearly the same spot. It marked the unprecedented occurrence in the World Series that consecutive home runs opened a game, leaving the audience in awe before most had settled in.

The Pitcher's Dominance

Yesavage then took over. He fanned five in a row between the early frames, breaking a rookie pitching record before Hernández ended the run with a home run in the third inning to make it 2–1. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.

Extending the Lead

In the fourth inning, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a defensive mistake, 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.

Seventh-Inning Rally

The Dodgers starter persisted for over six frames but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases became full. The two inherited runners scored – thanks to a errant throw and one more on a base hit – to push the lead to four runs. A single in the eighth provided the concluding score.

Bullpen Secures the Win

Yesavage was cheered off the field from the Toronto faithful, and the bullpen did the rest. The late-inning pitchers each pitched an inning without allowing a run to end the game, recording three strikeouts together while preserving the rookie’s masterpiece.

Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in hopes of igniting the offense, again struggled to get going. Their key batter went hitless in four at-bats and is now riding an 0-for-7 skid since a record-setting on-base performance in the third game.

On the Verge of a Championship

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