TORONTO — Addison Barger launched the primary pinch-hit grand slam in World Sequence historical past, Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer in a nine-run sixth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays overwhelmed the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Recreation 1 on Friday night time.
Twelve batters went to the plate within the sixth. Ernie Clement singled off reliever Emmet Sheehan for a 3-2 lead, pinch-hitter Nathan Lukes drew a bases-loaded stroll and Andres Gimenez added an RBI single.
Barger then greeted Anthony Banda with a 413-foot drive to right-center on a dangling slider to place Toronto forward 9-2. Kirk then added his fourth dwelling run of the postseason.
“To be trustworthy, it was so onerous to recollect, simply to assemble my ideas and all the things,” Barger advised Fox when requested concerning the grand slam after the sport. “It was only a blackout second. It is simply loopy.”
The 9 runs had been the third most scored in a single inning in World Sequence historical past.
Daulton Varsho began Toronto’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit with a two-run drive within the fourth off two-time Cy Younger Award winner Blake Snell.
The longball barrage was becoming because the Fall Traditional returned to Toronto for the primary time since 1993, when Joe Carter hit solely the second walk-off homer to finish a World Sequence. And in an uncommon tie to that night time 32 years in the past, Varsho is called after Darren Daulton, the Philadelphia Phillies catcher Mitch Williams was throwing to when Carter linked.
Shohei Ohtani hit his first Sequence dwelling run for the closely favored Dodgers, searching for to turn out to be the primary repeat champion for the reason that New York Yankees took three titles in a row from 1998 to 2000. Los Angeles was trailing by 9 when he linked off Braydon Fisher for a two-run shot within the seventh, his fourth homer in two video games.
Followers offended that Ohtani spurned the Blue Jays to signal a $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023 chanted: “We do not want you!” when he got here to the plate within the ninth.
Enjoying after a one-week layoff following its Nationwide League Championship Sequence sweep, Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead towards 22-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage on RBI singles by Enrique Hernández within the second and Will Smith within the third.
Yesavage made his fourth postseason begin — yet another than his regular-season profession whole. At 22 years, 88 days previous he turned the second-youngest pitcher to begin a World Sequence opener behind Brooklyn’s Ralph Branca at 21 years, 267 days in 1947 at Yankee Stadium.
Yesavage made some key pitches throughout his 4 innings, leaving the bases loaded within the second by retiring Ohtani on a groundout and stranding a runner at third the following inning when he struck out Max Muncy.
Seranthony Dominguez received the win with 1 1/3 hitless innings.
Varsho’s homer was the primary off Snell by a left-handed hitter since Juan Soto linked for the Yankees on June 2 final 12 months. Snell gave up a career-high 5 hits on changeups and allowed 5 runs, eight hits and three walks in five-plus innings.
Snell pitched within the Sequence for the primary time since 2020 with Tampa Bay, when he was eliminated within the sixth inning of Recreation 6 whereas pitching a shutout towards the Dodgers. Los Angeles rallied towards the Rays’ bullpen for its first championship since 1988.
Now the Dodgers are searching for their third title in six years.
Coming off a seven-game ALCS towards Seattle that ended Monday, Toronto received 14 hits that included key contributions from Bo Bichette and Varsho, who mixed with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to turn out to be the primary trio of sons of former main leaguers to begin for one group in a Sequence recreation.
Getting back from a sprained left knee that had sidelined him since Sept. 6, Bichette performed second base for the primary time in six years and favored the knee. He singled within the first, ranged to the left aspect of the infield to discipline a grounder and save a run, then with the rating 2-2 drew a full-count stroll from Snell beginning the sixth.
Recreation 2 within the best-of-seven sequence is at Rogers Centre on Saturday night time. Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will oppose Toronto righty Kevin Gausman.
The Recreation 1 winner has gained six of the final seven World Sequence.
“That is the man we would like on the bump,” Clement mentioned of Gausman. “We simply received to maintain rolling.”
Info from The Related Press was used on this report.