The Toronto Blue Jays opened the 2025 World Series with a resounding 11-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at a raucous Rogers Centre on Friday night. It was Toronto’s first World Series victory since 1993, ending a 32-year drought.
The game initially favored Los Angeles, with starter Blake Snell holding the Blue Jays in check through the first three innings. Snell allowed just four hits while the Dodgers built a 2-0 lead on early RBIs from Enrique Hernandez and Will Smith.
Toronto retaliated in the fourth inning when catcher Alejandro Kirk singled to right field, setting up Daulton Varsho’s 423-foot two-run homer to center, which tied the game.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Blue Jays erupted for a nine-run frame. After facing 24 batters, Blake Snell—who had allowed only two earned runs in 21 postseason innings before Friday—lost his command. He gave up eight hits, five earned runs, three walks, and a hit-by-pitch before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled him with the bases loaded and no outs.
Emmet Sheehan replaced Snell but allowed three more runs. Anthony Banda was then summoned with the bases loaded again. That’s when Addison Barger delivered the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, putting the Blue Jays ahead 9-2.
The scoring continued as Alejandro Kirk hit a two-run homer to center field, pushing Toronto’s lead to 11-2. Kirk set a record as the first Mexican-born player to homer in the Fall Classic (h/t Martin Gallegos of MLB.com). He also became the first catcher since Gary Carter in 1986 to record at least three hits and a home run in a World Series game.
Toronto’s rookie starter, Trey Yesavage, who was drafted last year, contributed four innings with two earned runs and five strikeouts in his first World Series start. Bo Bichette, returning from a left knee sprain, added a walk and a hit in two at-bats while making a notable defensive play at second base. Utility player Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez also contributed crucial hits during the pivotal sixth-inning surge.
The Dodgers made a brief push in the seventh inning when Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 11-4. However, it was merely consolation against the Blue Jays’ dominant offense.
The two teams will meet again for Game 2 on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with Kevin Gausman set to start for Toronto against Los Angeles’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Historically, teams that win Game 1 of the World Series have gone on to win the title in 23 of the last 27 instances. The Blue Jays will look to continue that trend as they seek to bring a championship back to Toronto.
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