10/24/25 10:44:00
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10/24 22:42 CDT Barger, Varsho, Kirk lead homer barrage as Blue Jays rout
Dodgers 11-4 in World Series opener
Barger, Varsho, Kirk lead homer barrage as Blue Jays rout Dodgers 11-4 in World
Series opener
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
TORONTO (AP) --- Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in
World Series history, 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 the opener Friday night.
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.
The longball barrage was fitting as the Fall Classic returned to Toronto for
the first time since 1993, when Joe Carter hit only the second walk-off homer
to end a World Series. And in an unusual tie to that night 32 years ago, Varsho
is named after Darren Daulton, the Philadelphia Phillies catcher Mitch Williams
was throwing to when Carter connected.
Shohei Ohtani hit his first Series home run for the heavily favored Dodgers,
seeking to become the first repeat champion since the New York Yankees took
three titles in a row from 1998-2000. Los Angeles was trailing by nine when he
connected off Braydon Fisher for a two-run shot in the seventh, his fourth
homer in two games.
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.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is at Rogers Centre on Saturday night.
Playing after a one-week layoff following its National League Championship
Series sweep, Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead against 22-year-old rookie Trey
Yesavage on RBI singles by Kik Hernndez 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.
Seranthony Domnguez got the win with 1 1/3 hitless innings.
Varsho's homer was the first off Snell by a left-handed hitter since Juan Soto
connected for the New York Yankees on June 2 last year. Snell gave up a
career-high five hits on changeups and allowed five runs, eight hits and three
walks in five-plus innings.
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.
Now the Dodgers are seeking their third title in six years.
Coming off a seven-game ALCS against Seattle that ended Monday, Toronto got 14
hits that included 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 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.
Twelve batters went to the plate in the inning. Ernie Clement singled off
reliever Emmet Sheehan for a 3-2 lead, pinch-hitter Nathan Lukes drew a
bases-loaded walk and Andrs Gimnez added an RBI single.
Barger greeted Anthony Banda with a 413-foot drive to right-center on a hanging
slider to put Toronto ahead 9-2. Kirk, who singled off the right-field wall a
pitch before Varsho's homer, added his fourth home run of the postseason.
Up next
Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman start Saturday
night. Yamamoto won Game 2 of the Series last year, allowing one run and one
hit over 6 1/3 innings in a 4-2 victory over the Yankees and is coming off the
first postseason complete game in eight years, a three-hitter against the
Milwaukee Brewers. Gausman will be making his Series debut.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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