LOS ANGELES — Rookie Trey Yesavage dominated with 12 strikeouts, Davis Schneider hit a home run on the opening pitch and the Toronto Blue Jays moved one victory away from a championship with a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday.
Yesavage, who made his major league debut in September, set a rookie record for strikeouts in a World Series game. He also became the first pitcher with at least 12 strikeouts and no walks in a Fall Classic contest.
The 22-year-old, who has started two of the Blue Jays’ three victories in the series, allowed one run on three hits over seven innings.
Schneider’s home run was followed by one from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the third pitch of the game, leaving the Blue Jays in need of a victory either in Game 6 on Friday or Game 7 on Saturday to win their first title in 32 years. The remainder of the best-of-seven series will be contested in Toronto.
Enrique Hernandez hit a home run for the Dodgers, while veteran Blake Snell was charged with five runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Snell walked four and fanned seven.
Los Angeles star Shohei Ohtani went 0-for-4, making him 0-for-7 over the past two games after he reached base a World Series-record nine times in Game 3.
The Dodgers shook up the lineup by moving Will Smith to the No. 2 spot and dropping Mookie Betts to No. 3. Alex Call also started in the outfield over a struggling Andy Pages, all to no avail. Los Angels has scored four runs over the past 29 innings.
Yesavage (3-1) ended up taking over, but only after the Toronto offense set the tone from the start.
Schneider hit Snell’s 97 mph fastball to open the game over the wall in left field, his first in seven postseason games. Guerrero waited two pitches before depositing a 96 mph fastball from Snell also to left, his eighth of the postseason and second of the World Series.
Yesavage opened the third inning by striking out Max Muncy, his fifth consecutive strikeout to set a World Series record by a rookie. Hernandez ended the run with a home run to left to cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 2-1.
Los Angeles right fielder Teoscar Hernandez misplayed a hit down the right field line by Daulton Varsho that turned into a triple to lead off the fourth, and Ernie Clement followed with a sacrifice fly to center to give the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead.
Snell (3-2) left the game in the seventh inning with two outs and two aboard. The Blue Jays cashed in both runners against Edgardo Henriquez on a run-scoring wild pitch and an RBI single from Bo Bichette for a 5-1 lead.
Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa added an RBI single in the eighth.
Blue Jays relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Jeff Hoffman each pitched a scoreless inning to seal the win.
–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media
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