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Yoshinobu Yamamoto produced a masterful performance as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 in Game 2 of the World Series at Rogers Centre, leveling the series at one game apiece.
Yamamoto allowed just four hits while striking out eight across nine innings. It was the first complete-game performance by a starting pitcher in the World Series since 2015, when Kansas City’s Johnny Cueto went nine in a win over the New York Mets.
In stark contrast to Friday's game, the Rogers Centre was silence early on when Will Smith singled to center in the first inning, bringing Freddie Freeman home.
Toronto tied it in the third when Alejandro Kirk hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring George Springer.
Los Angeles regained control in the seventh inning. Smith hit a 404-foot homer to left field, followed by another from Max Muncy that traveled 351 feet to the same spot.
The defending champions added two more runs in the eighth. Andy Pages scored on a wild pitch by Jeff Hoffman, with Mookie Betts advancing to second and Shohei Ohtani to third.
Smith then grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing Ohtani to score while Freeman was forced out at second.
‘I was executing my pitches out there well today,’ Yamamoto told Fox’s Tom Verducci afterwards.
The result came after the Blue Jays took Game 1 with an 11-4 win on Friday night, powered by Addison Barger’s historic pinch-hit grand slam in a nine-run sixth inning.
A StandUpToCancer campaign was held during the game, with fans at Rogers Centre holding up signs naming loved ones affected by the disease as part of Major League Baseball’s annual awareness drive.
The World Series now shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Monday night, with the Dodgers looking to build on Yamamoto’s dominant outing.
More to follow...
