Blue Jays ride historic pinch-hit grand slam, 9-run sixth to crush Dodgers 11-4

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TORONTO — Rogers Centre erupted Friday night as the Toronto Blue Jays staged one of the most explosive innings in World Series history. Rookie Addison Barger smashed the first pinch-hit grand slam in Fall Classic history, capping a nine-run sixth inning that lifted Toronto to an 11-4 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1.

The crowd of 44,357 witnessed Toronto’s first World Series game since 1993, and it will be remembered for decades. Twelve Blue Jays hitters came to bat in the sixth inning, turning a tense 2-2 tie into an 11-2 blowout.

“Just a blackout moment. Just crazy,” Barger said afterward. “I was choking up a little bit, just trying to put the ball in the air and get a run in.”

His 413-foot drive to right-center off Dodgers reliever Anthony Banda pushed Toronto’s lead to 9-2. Three batters later, Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer that buried the defending champions.

Snell falters as Blue Jays attack early

Dodgers starter Blake Snell never settled in. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was tagged for five runs on eight hits in five-plus innings, issuing three walks.

Toronto’s Daulton Varsho delivered the first big blow in the fourth, blasting a two-run homer off the center-field batter’s eye to tie the score. It was the first home run Snell had allowed to a left-handed batter since June 2, 2024, when Juan Soto connected.

“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.”

Los Angeles had struck first. Rookie Trey Yesavage, making history as the second-youngest World Series Game 1 starter since 1947, gave up RBI singles to Enrique Hernandez and Will Smith that gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Sixth-inning avalanche buries Dodgers

The turning point came in the bottom of the sixth. Bo Bichette, making his first appearance since a September knee injury, drew a leadoff walk. He was replaced by pinch-runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Kirk singled, and Varsho was hit by a Snell pitch to load the bases. That ended Snell’s night after 100 pitches.

“If I’m throwing strikes, they’re gonna swing,” Snell said. “I had walks and was just getting behind. I’ve just gotta be better, locate the ball.”

Reliever Emmet Sheehan entered and immediately surrendered a go-ahead single to Ernie Clement. Nathan Lukes worked a nine-pitch walk to force home another run. Andres Gimenez followed with an RBI single, making it 5-2 before Toronto had even recorded an out.

Then came Barger’s historic swing. Called to hit for Davis Schneider, the 25-year-old rookie turned on a slider and delivered a grand slam that sent the building into chaos.

“That’s probably as good as it gets,” Barger said with a laugh about his first World Series game.

According to MLB’s Sarah Langs, Barger’s blast was the first pinch-hit grand slam in 120 years of World Series play, ending a streak of 689 games without one.

Kirk caps inning with two-run shot

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to briefly quiet the frenzy. But Kirk reignited it with a two-run blast of his own, his fourth home run of the postseason, stretching Toronto’s lead to 11-2.

“That’s the epitome of our offense,” Clement said. “It’s a collective effort and everybody just doing their job.”

Toronto finished with 14 hits, spreading production across the lineup. The bench made a difference, with Lukes drawing a walk, Barger delivering the knockout swing, and Kiner-Falefa scoring the go-ahead run.

Manager John Schneider praised the depth. “So much credit to the guys up and down the lineup being ready to come into the game,” he said. “Those at-bats in that inning started with Bo’s walk, then a knock, and it kind of just kept on going.”

Ohtani’s homer arrives too late

Shohei Ohtani provided a brief lift for Los Angeles with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his first in World Series play. But by then, the Dodgers trailed 11-2.

When Ohtani batted again in the ninth, Toronto fans taunted him with chants of “We don’t need you!” after the superstar chose Los Angeles over Toronto in free agency.

“Don’t poke the bear,” Toronto pitcher Chris Bassitt said afterward, noting Ohtani’s ability to shift momentum.

The Dodgers’ bullpen was thin without left-hander Alex Vesia, who missed the game due to a family emergency. Banda and Sheehan combined to give up seven runs in the sixth alone.

Dodgers face steep climb

The loss puts Los Angeles in danger of falling behind early in the series. They are seeking to become MLB’s first back-to-back champions since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000.

“We just didn’t make pitches when we needed to to keep that game close,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We need to be better.”

The Dodgers had entered with momentum after sweeping the NLCS. But a week-long layoff appeared to leave them flat against Toronto’s energized lineup.

Historical layers to Toronto’s night

The return of World Series baseball to Toronto for the first time since 1993 carried special meaning. Varsho’s homer added a family connection. His father Gary named him after Phillies catcher Darren Daulton, who was behind the plate when Joe Carter hit his famous walk-off homer against Philadelphia in 1993.

Varsho, Guerrero Jr., and Bichette also became the first trio of sons of former major leaguers to start together in a World Series game.

The Blue Jays’ nine-run inning ranked among the biggest in World Series history. Only the 1968 Detroit Tigers, with a 10-run frame, had scored more in a single inning.

Reliever Seranthony Dominguez earned the win with 1⅓ scoreless innings after Yesavage exited.

Quick turnaround for Game 2

Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday night at Rogers Centre. The Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against Toronto ace Kevin Gausman.

Blue Jays fans, who packed the stadium to capacity, made their presence felt throughout the opener.

“They bring it every night,” Clement said. “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.”

Toronto’s eruption announced their arrival on baseball’s biggest stage. The defending champions now face the task of bouncing back.

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