Blue Jays Dominate Game 5, Win 6–1 to Take 3–2 World Series Lead; Series Shifts Back to Toronto

The Toronto Blue Jays are one win away from a World Series title. In a commanding 6–1 victory at Dodger Stadium last night, Toronto’s bats exploded early and rookie phenom Trey Yesavage delivered a historic pitching performance that stunned Los Angeles and silenced a roaring home crowd. The Blue Jays now lead the series 3–2 and return home to Rogers Centre with the chance to close out their first championship since 1993.

The tone was set immediately. With the very first pitch of the game, Davis Schneider blasted a leadoff home run to left-centre. Two pitches later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched his own no-doubt rocket into the seats. It was the first time in World Series history a team opened a game with back-to-back home runs to start Game 5, and it knocked the breath out of the stadium before many fans had even settled into their seats.

Toronto wasn’t swinging recklessly — they were hunting pitches. Blake Snell, who entered the night with strong postseason form, simply had nowhere to hide. His command was off early, and Toronto capitalized with deadly precision.

If the opening inning set the emotional tone, Trey Yesavage’s performance built the winning foundation. The rookie right-hander, pitching in the most pressure-filled outing of his young career, delivered a masterpiece: seven innings, three hits, one run, twelve strikeouts, and zero walks.

He became the first rookie in World Series history to strike out 12 hitters without issuing a walk — a record-setting night that instantly etched his name into postseason lore.

His only blemish came in the bottom of the third, when Kiké Hernández sent a solo shot into the left-field seats to trim the lead to 2–1. Instead of folding under pressure, Yesavage sharpened. He punched out hitter after hitter, mixing a high-spin fastball at the top of the zone with a devastating slider that the Dodgers simply could not track. By the time he handed the ball to the bullpen, the Dodgers’ lineup looked mentally drained.

Toronto didn’t rely solely on its historic first inning. In the fourth inning, Ernie Clement lifted a deep sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3–1. In the sixth, the Blue Jays strung together quality at-bats to plate another run and chase Snell from the game. Insurance runs kept coming late — the kind of relentless, grinding offense that wears down even elite pitching staffs in October.

The Dodgers’ bullpen, usually dependable, never found rhythm. While Toronto worked counts and attacked mistakes, Los Angeles looked tentative, pressing in moments where the game demanded confidence. As the innings passed, the Dodger Stadium crowd quieted, the urgency growing with every scoreless frame.

Los Angeles entered the night looking to seize momentum after a tense series split through the first four games. Instead, their offence was neutralized. Aside from Hernández’s homer, the Dodgers never mounted a sustained threat. Their usual spark plugs were contained — and in key moments, outmatched.

Snell lasted fewer than six innings, surrendering multiple hard-hit balls and struggling to locate his breaking pitches. By the time he exited, the Dodgers trailed and looked deflated. With the Blue Jays’ pitching staff locked in, the home side never recovered.

Teams that take a 3–2 lead in a best-of-seven World Series go on to win roughly three-quarters of the time. Toronto now heads home with two opportunities to close out the Dodgers, with a packed Rogers Centre ready to explode.

Momentum is firmly in Toronto’s corner — and confidence is surging. The pitching plan has stabilized. The bats are producing timely power and disciplined swings. Guerrero and Schneider have been tone-setters. And Trey Yesavage now stands as a postseason hero in waiting.

The Mission Ahead

The job, as Blue Jays veterans will surely remind their clubhouse, is not done. The Dodgers are too talented to assume anything. But Toronto earned its position. With Game 6 set back in Canada, the city is bracing for the possibility of a celebration not seen in more than three decades.

One more win — in front of their home fans — and the Blue Jays will hoist the trophy. The champagne is chilling, but not uncorked. A nation is watching. Toronto can feel it now. They are 27 outs from history.