Keys to game 2: Dodgers pitching reappeared
Pitching that brought the Dodgers to the World Series, which was not shown in the first game, reappeared in time to stop the powerful Blue Jays offense
TORONTO — The pitching that brought to Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series –and was not shown in it first game— reappeared on timefor arrest to the powerful offensive of the Toronto Blue Jays and tie to a triumph by side the Fall Classic.
A day after the locals hit 14 hits and scored 11 runs against Blake Snell and four relievers, Japanese star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched his second consecutive complete game in the postseason and contained four hits against the enemy artillery to lead the Dodgers to a 5-1 victory before 44,607 fans at Rogers Center.
The World Series moves to Los Angeles for Games 3, 4 and 5 starting Monday. If necessary, he will return to Toronto on Friday.
YAMAMOTO VS. VLADI JR.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman, the leader of the Blue Jays rotation, retired Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts on fly balls to the outfield, but Freddie Freeman doubled to right field and Will Smith singled him to center field. Gausman, who threw 22 pitches, struck out Teoscar Hernández to close the inning.
The right-hander retired the next 17 Dodgers batters in order until Smith homered with one out in the seventh. Gausman allowed Max Muncy to homer before being relieved.
That first inning was key for Yamamoto and the Dodgers to establish some sort of order against Toronto, which entered the game leading the postseason in every offensive category, including hitting (.300), home runs (23) and runs scored (83).
Yamamoto, who led Dodgers pitching with 30 starts, 201 strikeouts and a 2.49 ERA in the regular series, allowed a double to George Springer and a single to Nathan Lukes, who advanced Springer to third base.
With runners on the corners, with no out, Yamamoto faced the dangerous Dominican 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who leads the playoffs with an average over .400, six home runs and 12 RBIs. Guerrero Jr. was the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series, against the Seattle Mariners.
Guerrero Jr. ignored Yamamoto’s first two pitches to take a 2-0 lead, but the Japanese gave him a recital of “splitters” – split-fingered fastballs – before striking him out with a curveball and changing the tide in the stands, where there were 44,607, almost all of them cheering on the strong slugger.
Inspired by the strikeout of Guerrero Jr., Yamamoto dominated Mexican catcher Alejandro Kirk with a soft line to first base and struck out Daulton Varsho, completing a spectacular zero.
But Yamamoto wasn’t so lucky in the third inning, when he hit Springer and Guerrero Jr. hit a ball off the left field wall so hard that it was only a single, sending Springer to third. Kirk’s fly ball to center field tied the game at 1-1.
Guerrero Jr.’s 22 hits this postseason are the all-time record for a Blue Jays player. Ernie Clement has 21, tied with Paul Molitor –21 in 1993–, in second place. His 30 bases reached also represent the club’s record.
THE INCOMPLETE DOUBLE PLAY
Knowing that two runs is not much of a lead against Toronto’s efficient and fearsome offense, the Dodgers mounted a rally after one out in the eighth inning. Cuban outfielder Andy Pagés, in a 3-for-41 slump in the postseason, singled and Ohtani imitated him, sending his teammate to second base.
Closer Jeff Hoffman replaced Louis Varland and walked Betts to load the bases. Batting Freeman, Hoffman threw a wild pitch that allowed Pagés to score the Dodgers’ fourth run.
Toronto manager John Schneider ordered Freeman transferred to load the bases and look for the double play with Smith, the world champions’ most productive hitter in the game.
The play almost went perfectly for Toronto, since Smith hit a ground ball in front of Venezuelan shortstop Andrés Giménez, who threw softly to second baseman Bo Bichette, who in turn could not retire Smith at first base, allowing the blues to score the fifth round.
Smith finished the game with three RBIs.
“SPLITTERS” WAR
Gausman (1,251) and Yamamoto (772), the pitchers who used the splitter the most this season – including the playoffs – served a good dose of breaking pitch to the Dodgers and Blue Jays hitters on Saturday.
Gausman, who allowed six hits and three runs in 6.2 innings, threw 29 splitters of his 105 pitches. Yamamoto, who became the first pitcher with consecutive complete games in the same postseason since Curt Schilling (3) in 2001, he used the splitter 34 times.
His personal best in splitters thrown in a single appearance was 38, on April 19, 2024 against the New York Mets — in his fifth major league start. His most this season – regular season and postseason – was 34 in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, and now in the World Series.
