TORONTO — As openings go, it was historically grand for the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.
And the grandest moment of all in Game 1 of the World Series was pinch hitter Addison Barger’s bases-loaded home run in a nine-run sixth inning.
The first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history propelled the Blue Jays to an 11-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“They brought in the lefty (Anthony Banda) for me, and I was just trying to put the ball in play, get a run home, hopefully,” Barger said. “That was kind of my only goal, and it ended up working out better than that.”
The homer to center came on a 2-1 slider.
“Anthony’s been very good for us, and he left a breaking ball up,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Alejandro Kirk capped the big inning with a two-run homer and finished 3-for-3 with a walk.
Daulton Varsho tied the game with a two-run homer in the fourth for the Blue Jays, who played in their first World Series game since 1993.
Shohei Ohtani clubbed a two-run homer for the Dodgers, the reigning World Series champions.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Saturday in Toronto.
Bo Bichette, back playing for the Blue Jays after a seven-week injury absence, walked to open the sixth inning against Blake Snell (3-1).
Pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa took second on Kirk’s single to right. Varsho was hit by a 3-2 pitch to load the bases, and Emmet Sheehan replaced Snell. Ernie Clement hit a go-ahead single to left-center, bringing in Kiner-Falefa.
Pinch hitter Nathan Lukes walked, forcing in a run, and Andres Gimenez grounded an RBI single to right. After a forceout at home on George Springer’s grounder, Banda replaced Sheehan.
Barger batted for Davis Schneider and hit his third homer of the postseason, giving Toronto a 9-2 lead.
“In this stage of the season, if you’re starting or if you’re not starting, there’s a pretty specific approach and plan with what you’re trying to do,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “For a young guy to go out and execute is another thing. So a really cool moment for him.
“First pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. That’s a really cool moment. Addy’s been so big for us this year.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled to keep the sixth going, and one out later, Kirk hit his fourth postseason homer.
Snell allowed five runs, eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts in five-plus innings.
“I just thought tonight Blake just didn’t have fastball command,” Roberts said. “He was working deeper counts. When he had count leverage, he really couldn’t put them away because they were putting the ball in play, and there were just a couple bad walks in there. But you have to give those guys credit.”
Toronto reliever Seranthony Dominguez (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 clean innings to earn the win.
The Dodgers completed a four-game sweep of the National League Championship Series over the Milwaukee Brewers a week ago while the Blue Jays needed a seventh game on Monday to eliminate the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series.
“I really don’t think the week layoff had anything to do with tonight,” Roberts said. “I really don’t. We were rested. I thought we were in a good spot. We had a 2-0 lead and then Varsho hits a homer and we didn’t pitch well after that. So, I really honestly don’t think that had anything to do with it.”
The Dodgers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning against Trey Yesavage on a walk and singles by Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez.
Los Angeles doubled the advantage in the third on two walks and Will Smith’s RBI single to right.
Yesavage permitted two runs, four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in four innings.
It all fell apart for the Dodgers in the sixth with the Blue Jays urged on by a raucous crowd.
“I think it was just, I mean, just madness,” Barger said. “The fans are so energetic, and we really feel it. Yeah, I thought we put together a lot of really good at-bats and we made things happen and it worked out.”
–Larry Millson, Field Level Media
