Toronto One Step Away of Victory After Yesavage Dominates Dodgers in Game 5

Yesavage authored a masterclass on the mound and Schneider connected for a homer on the opening pitch as the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers six to one on Wednesday evening, standing one win away of their first championship since the 1993 season.

Yesavage's Historic Outing

The 22-year-old Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, fanned a dozen batters without a single walk – the first pitcher in World Series history to do so. 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 started and won two of Toronto’s three victories in this seven-game set.

Early Offensive Explosion

Toronto’s hitters jumped out to a fast lead. On the initial throw, Schneider drilled a 97-mile-per-hour heater and drove it over the left-field wall. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr added a second home run to almost the exact same place. It marked the first time in World Series history that back-to-back homers started a game, leaving the audience in awe before most had settled in.

Yesavage Takes Control

Yesavage then took over. He retired five straight via strikeout between the second and third innings, establishing a new rookie mark before the streak was snapped by Kiké Hernández with a solo homer in the bottom of the third to make it 2–1. That was as close as Los Angeles would get.

Extending the Lead

In the fourth, Varsho lined a triple into the right-field corner after a misplay, and Ernie Clement hit a sac fly to score him for a three to one lead. The Los Angeles offense continued to sputter from there. After managing six runs in a lengthy extra-inning contest, they’ve scored a mere four times in nearly 30 innings.

Late Inning Insurance

The starting pitcher battled through six and two-thirds innings but couldn’t escape the seventh after the bases became full. The runners he allowed both crossed the plate – thanks to a errant throw and the other on a run-scoring hit – to extend the lead to 5–1. A hit in the eighth provided the final margin.

Bullpen Secures the Win

Yesavage exited to a standing ovation from the Blue Jays supporters, and the relievers finished the job. The relief corps each tossed a shutout frame to close it out, recording three strikeouts together while protecting the rookie's gem.

Dodgers' Lineup Shuffle Falters

The Dodgers, who rearranged their batting order in hopes of igniting the offense, again struggled to get going. Their star slugger went without a hit in four trips and is now without a hit in his last seven appearances since a record-setting on-base performance in Game 3.

Looking Ahead to Game 6

Now up 3–2, Toronto go back to their own stadium with two opportunities to win it all. Friday evening features Game 6 at Toronto's ballpark.

Michael Miller
Michael Miller

Digital media strategist with over a decade of experience in content creation and brand storytelling.

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