World Series game 7 - LA Dodgers (4-3) @ Toronto Blue Jays (3-4) - game recap.

 

Bo Bichette hit a 3-run HR in a losing effort as the Dodgers came from behind to edge the Blue Jays in 11 innings

After dropping yesterday's game due to a dormant offence and horrible base running error by Addison Barger, the Blue Jays were looking to secure their 3rd world series title. Max Scherzer got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. The rest of the lineup is the same as yesterday. Could the Blue Jays secure their 3rd world series title or will we get back-to-back champions for the first time since

Game Highlights:

• The Blue jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd as Bo Bichette hammered a 3-run bomb off the basing of the 2nd deck in dead center; also scoring George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 
• Shohei Ohtani pitching line: 2.1IP 5H 3R (all earned) 2BB 3K 51 pitches (31 for strikes) 
• The Dodgers got one back in the top of the 4th on a sac fly by Teoscar Hernandez that scored will Smith
• Max Scherzer pitching line: 4.1IP 4H 1R (earned) 1BB 3K 54 pitches (34 for strikes)
• The Dodgers got one back in the top of the 6th on a sac fly by Tommy Edman that scored Mookie Betts
• The Blue jays added a run in the bottom half of the inning as Andres Gimenez doubled scoring Ernie Clement 
• The Dodgers got one back in the top of the 8th as Max Muncy hammered a solo bomb off the basing of the 3rd deck-
• The Dodgers tied it in the top of the 9th as Miguel Rojas whacked a solo blast to left
• The Dodgers took the lead in the top of the 11th as Will Smith whacked a solo blast to left
• Final score: Dodgers 4 Blue Jays 3 (11 innings)

My Take:

• Max Scherzer battled through 4.1 innings, giving up a run on 3 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3. The future hall of famer gave one last strong start, giving what is likely his final team a chance to win. You couldn't have asked for more out of Scherzer
• The bullpen gave up 4 runs on 7 hits while walking 4 and striking out 2 over the last 5.2 innings. The relievers gave up 3 long balls, something that has been a problem all season. The team needs to address this in the off-season. They also need to figure out if Hoffman will be the closer going forward. He blew 7 saves in the regular season and the one tonight. He had 33 saves in the regular season, but he gave up the most home runs by a reliever
• Bo Bichette had a great game in what might have been his last in a Blue Jays uniform as he hits free agency. Bichette went deep to put the Blue Jays up by three and got a single with one out in the 9th. No doubt he will be paid handsomly after a strong regular season and some clutch hits in the World Series ala Kirk Gibson. Will be interesting to see if he goes back to SS or stays at 2B going forward.
• Ernie Clement also capped off a fine postseason with a couple of more hits to break the record for most hits in a single postseason.
• At the end of the day, the Blue Jays had chances to extend the lead and even walk it off in the 9th, but they couldn't get that extra run. They were 3-17 with runners in scoring position. 
• The Dodgers became the first team to win back to back championships since the Yankees three-peat 1998-2000.
• Up next, the off-season where the biggest priority will be trying to re-sign Bo Bichette.

World Series #7 Los Angeles Dodgers (3-3) v. Toronto Blue Jays (3-3)

 

World Series game 6 - LA Dodgers (3-3) @ Toronto Blue Jays (3-3) - game recap.

 

George Springer drove in the only Blue Jays run in a 3-1 loss to the Dodgers

After a huge win thanks to some early timely hitting and a stellar pitching performance from Trey Yesavage, the Blue Jays were looking for 3 straight wins and to finish off their 3rd world series title. Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Springer was back in the lineup as DH after missing a couple of games with an oblique strain. Bo Bichette was back in the field at 2B. Nathan Lukes got the start in LF. Could the Blue Jays make it 3 straight wins and finish off their 3rd world series title? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The dodgers opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Will Smith doubled scoring Tommy Edman
• Two batters later, Mookie Betts singled scoring Shohei Ohtani and Smith 
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as George Springer singled smiting Addison Barger
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 6IP 3H 3R (all earned) 2BB 8K 93 pitches (63 for strikes)\
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitching line: 6IP 5H 1R (earned) 1BB 6K 96 pitches (63 for strikes)
• Tyler Glasnow got the last 3 outs for his 1st save of the postseason
• Final score: Dodgers 3 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman fired 6 strong innings, giving up 3 runs on 3 hitd while walking 2 and striking out 8. He had out streaks of 6 and 9 batters, including striking out the side in the 1st inning that saw him face 2 former MVPs (Ohtani and Freeman. Gausman did his part and lost because of one bad inning essentially. Too bad he couldn't help himself offensively like Ohtani can.
• The bullpen threw 3 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and 2 walks. Chris Bassitt and Louis Varland both retitred every batter they faced. Tomorrow night, virtually everyone but Gausnan will be available to pitch seeing as it id the final game of the season and everyone will get at least 3 months to recover (it's likely there will be a work stoppsage in 2026)
• The bats were relatively quiet today with George Springer knocking in the only Blue Jays run. They blew a golden chance to at least send the game to extra innings with terrible at bats by Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez. Addison Barger alsi made a brutal base running mistake which would have brought Springer to the plate had he stayed on or near the bag, They had their chances to rally and chip away at the lead. The silver lining is they very likely won't see Yannamoto until 2026.
• The Blue Jays were 1-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays get one more chance to secure world series title #3. Max Scherzer starts for the Blue Jays. The Dodgers haven't announced a starter for gane 7 yet.

World Series #6 Los Angeles Dodgers (2-3) v. Toronto Blue Jays (3-2)

World Series game 5 - Toronto Blue Jays (3-2) @ LA Dodgers (2-3) - game recap.

 

Trey Yesavage threw 7 superb innings in a 6-1 victory over the Dodgers

After a huge win yesterday thanks to some great pitching and timely hitting, the Blue Jays were going for their 2nd straight win to put them on the verge of their 3rd world series title. Trey Yesavage got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Davis Schneider got the start in LF with southpaw Blake Snell toeing the rubber for the Dodgers. The rest of the lineup was the same with George Springer remaining out with an oblique strain. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins and put themselves on the verge of their 3rd world series title? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• Davis Schneider led off the game with a solo blast to left
• A batter later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. whacked a solo blast to left and into the Dodgers bullpen
• The Dodgers got one back in the bottom of the 3rd as Enrique Hernandez smacked a solo blast to left
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 4th on a sac fly by Ernie Clement that scored Daulton Varsho
• The Blue jays added a run on a wild pitch by Dodgers righty Edgardo Henriquez that scored Addison Barger. Guerrero Jr advanced to 1st on a walk on the play
• A batter later,  Bo Bichette singled scoring Andres Gimenez 
• Blake Snell pitching line: 6.2IP 6H 5R (all earned) 4BB 7K 116 pitches (69 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 8th as IKF singled scoring Ernie Clement 
• Trey Yesavage pitching line: 7IP 3H 1R (earned) 0BB 12K 104 pitches (71 for strikes)

My Take:

• What more can you say about the incredible season Trey Yesavage is having? Only a handful of players have played every tier of the minor league system plus pitched in the majors as a September call up. Nome of them has been as dominant as Trey Yesavage was tonight. He held the defending champion to just one run on three hits while walking none and striking out 12 this Dodgers lineup is full of dangerous hitters, leading off with a guy who became the ONLY member of the 50-50 club and three players who have been the MVP in either the AL (Mookie Betts), NL (Freddie Freeman) or both leagues (Shohei Ohtani). Yesavage struck out all three aforementioned batters and Betts twice. On his 104th and final pitch, he induced an inning ending double play that allowed the bullpen to start with a clean inning. 
• The bullpen, largely considered the weak link of the team is coming together at just the right time. Tonight, Seranthony Dominguez combined to limit the Dodgers to a hit and a walk over the last 2 innings while striking out 3 batters. Jeff Hoffman, who many fans wanted nowhere near the closer's role in the postseason after blowing 7 saves and giving up the most home runs by a reliever, showed why he got 33 saves, ending the game by getting Freeman and Teo to strike out swinging. Still makes me nervous when the starter is pulled, but as long as the offence comes through, the team should be celebrating their 3rd world series title in 48 hrs.
• Speaking of the offence, the depth on the team came through tonight with IKF, a hobbling Bo Bichette, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider all coming up clutch tonight. Vlad, who is a good bet to be the World series MVP, also went deep. Under the watchful eye of David Popkins, the Blue Jays hitters have had much better approaches at the plate and they have had better power, while also finding other ways to score.
• The Blue Jays were 2-7 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays will try to extend the win streak to 3 games and secure their 3rd world series title. Kevin Gausman starts against Dodgers righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto