TORONTO — The Los Angeles Dodgers evened the World Series at one game apiece Saturday night with a commanding 5–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at a raucous Rogers Centre, powered by back-to-back seventh-inning home runs from Will Smith and Max Muncy.
Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto was nearly untouchable, pitching a complete game while allowing just one run on four hits and striking out eight without issuing a single walk. It was his second straight complete game — and his first-ever start against Toronto.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman appeared in control early, retiring 17 consecutive batters before Smith broke the stalemate with a solo blast on a full-count pitch. Two batters later, Muncy followed with another towering homer to right field, putting the Dodgers firmly in command.
Los Angeles added insurance in the eighth inning, silencing the sold-out crowd of 44,607 fans. The defending champions outhit the Blue Jays 6–4 and capitalized on Toronto’s missed chances — including a squandered first-inning opportunity with runners on the corners.
Toronto’s lone run came in the third when Alejandro Kirk hit a sacrifice fly to score George Springer, but Yamamoto quickly regained control, retiring the next 19 Blue Jays in order.
The night began on a nostalgic note as Blue Jays legend Joe Carter, hero of the team’s 1993 World Series victory, threw out the ceremonial first pitch — greeted warmly by fans and players alike, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. draping him in the team’s famous home run jacket.
With the series tied 1–1, the focus now shifts to Game 3 at Dodger Stadium on Monday. Toronto will send veteran Max Scherzer (1–0, 3.18 ERA) to the mound to face Tyler Glasnow (0–0, 0.68).
Baseball history suggests the stakes are high: teams winning Game 3 of a tied World Series have gone on to win the championship 67 per cent of the time.