Addison Barger’s grand slam sends Blue Jays fans into a frenzy (0:35)Addison Barger’s grand slam sends Blue Jays fans into a frenzy (0:35)
“That’s the epitome of our offense,” said Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement, who laced a tiebreaking single in the sixth. “It’s a collective effort and everybody just doing their job.”
Daulton Varsho started Toronto’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit with a two-run drive in the fourth off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
“I’ve faced him before plenty of times. He’s obviously dominated me,” Varsho said. “It’s one of those guys where you’ve got to get your best swing off and whatever happens, happens.”
But the real damage came in the sixth, when the nine runs scored were the third most in a single inning in World Series history.
Twelve batters went to the plate. Clement singled off reliever Emmet Sheehan for a 3-2 lead, pinch-hitter Nathan Lukes drew a bases-loaded walk and Andres Gimenez added an RBI single.
Barger then greeted left-hander Anthony Banda with a 413-foot drive to right-center on a hanging slider to put Toronto ahead 9-2.
“Just a blackout moment. Just crazy,” Barger said. “I was choking up a little bit, just trying to put the ball in the air and get a run in.”
Fans angry that Ohtani spurned the Blue Jays to sign a $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023 chanted “We don’t need you!” when he came to the plate in the ninth.
“They bring it every night,” Clement said, referring to Blue Jays fans. “The last few months, honestly, they’ve been selling this place out and giving us a ton of energy. We’re lucky to have these fans.”
Playing after a one-week layoff following its National League Championship Series sweep, Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead against rookie Trey Yesavage on RBI singles by Enrique Hernandez in the second and Will Smith in the third.
Yesavage made his fourth postseason start — one more than his regular-season career total. At 22 years, 88 days old he became the second-youngest pitcher to start a World Series opener behind Brooklyn’s Ralph Branca at 21 years, 267 days in 1947 at Yankee Stadium.
Yesavage made some key pitches during his four innings, leaving the bases loaded in the second by retiring Ohtani on a groundout and stranding a runner at third the next inning when he struck out Max Muncy.
“Blake just didn’t have good fastball command,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “There were just a couple bad walks in there.”
Snell pitched in the Series for the first time since 2020 with Tampa Bay, when he was removed in the sixth inning of Game 6 while pitching a shutout against the Dodgers. Los Angeles rallied against the Rays’ bullpen for its first championship since 1988.
Coming off a seven-game American League Championship Series against Seattle that ended Monday, Toronto got 14 hits and key contributions from Bo Bichette and Varsho, who combined with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to become the first trio of sons of former major leaguers to start for one team in a World Series game.
Returning from a sprained left knee that had sidelined him since Sept. 6, Bichette played second base for the first time in six years and favored the knee. He singled in the first, ranged to the left side of the infield to field a grounder and save a run, then with the score 2-2 drew a full-count walk from Snell starting the sixth.
“We just didn’t make pitches when we need to to keep that game close,” Roberts said. “We need to be better.”
Addison Barger’s grand slam sends Blue Jays fans into a frenzy (0:35)Addison Barger’s grand slam sends Blue Jays fans into a frenzy (0:35)
“Don’t poke the bear,” Toronto pitcher Chris Bassitt said.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is at Rogers Centre on Saturday night.
Seranthony Dominguez got the win with 1⅓ hitless innings.
Now the Dodgers are chasing their third title in six years.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Addison Barger’s grand slam sends Blue Jays fans into a frenzy (0:35)