The Toronto Blue Jays stand on the verge of history after rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage delivered a masterful performance in a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night. The win gives Toronto a 3-2 series lead and two chances to capture its first championship in more than three decades.
Yesavage, a 22-year-old right-hander making only his sixth big-league start, struck out 12 batters across seven innings while allowing just one run. His dazzling outing — highlighted by a devastating splitter — set a record for strikeouts by a rookie in a World Series game and evoked comparisons to some of the greatest pitching performances in postseason history.
Toronto jumped on Dodgers ace Blake Snell early, launching back-to-back home runs in the first inning from Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Blue Jays never looked back, adding insurance runs in the fourth and seventh innings as Los Angeles’ bullpen faltered again. Guerrero’s blast was his eighth of the postseason, reinforcing his role as the engine of a Toronto lineup that has now outscored the Dodgers 14-3 over the past two games.
The Dodgers, seeking to defend their 2024 title, managed little offense beyond a solo homer from Kiké Hernández in the second inning. Shohei Ohtani was held hitless as Los Angeles continued to struggle with runners in scoring position. The team will turn to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 6 in Toronto, hoping the ace can replicate his complete-game victory from earlier in the series and extend the Dodgers’ season.
Yesavage’s performance, coupled with steady defense and opportunistic hitting, brought the Blue Jays within one victory of ending a 32-year championship drought. The team will return home to Rogers Centre on Friday with Kevin Gausman slated to start.
Source: The Athletic