Rookie Trey Yesavage struck out 12 as Toronto stunned Los Angeles 6-1 in Game 5.
Los Angeles
The Toronto Blue Jays moved within one win of a historic World Series title, thrashing the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 in Game 5 behind rookie sensation Trey Yesavage’s record-setting performance.
Yesavage, a 22-year-old right-hander who began his season pitching in Class A before 327 fans, struck out 12 batters — the most ever by a rookie in a World Series game. Using a lethal mix of splitters, sliders, and fastballs, he broke Dodgers legend Don Newcombe’s 1949 record of 11 strikeouts in a Fall Classic outing.
The young ace yielded just three hits and one run across seven innings, conceding only to Kiké Hernández’s solo homer in the third inning. Otherwise, he was dominant, inducing 23 swings and misses — the most in a World Series game since pitch-tracking began in 2008.
Yesavage, who debuted in the majors on September 15 after climbing through five minor-league levels this year, now holds a 3-1 postseason record from five outings. His poise and precision silenced the 52,000-strong Dodger Stadium crowd and pushed the Blue Jays to the brink of their first championship in over three decades.
The best-of-seven series now shifts to Toronto on Friday, where the Blue Jays can clinch the title in front of home fans and complete a massive upset over the defending champions.
Toronto has previously won the World Series twice — in 1992 and 1993 — becoming the only non-U.S. franchise to do so. Both titles were sealed in six games, highlighted by Joe Carter’s unforgettable walk-off homer in 1993 that remains one of baseball’s most iconic moments.