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The Toronto Blue Jays drew first blood in the World Series with a thrilling 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In Game 1 at Rogers Centre on Friday night, Toronto took control in the sixth inning when - with the teams tied at 2-2 - the Blue Jays scored nine runs including a historic grand slam from Addison Barger.
Shohei Ohtani hit his first ever World Series homer as the Dodgers threatened a miraculous comeback.
But Dave Roberts' team - without pitcher Alex Vesia due to a 'deeply personal family matter' - fell 1-0 down in the series.
The headlines will belong to Blue Jays outfielder Barger, who launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history on Friday night.
Batting for Davis Schneider against left-hander Anthony Banda, Barger drilled a 2-1 slider 413ft to right-center - his third home run this postseason.
The Toronto Blue Jays took the lead in the World Series after beating the Dodgers on Friday
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani wasn't able to prevent his team falling to defeat in Toronto
Blue Jays star Addison Barger hit a pinch-hit grand slam on the way to their 11-4 victory
There were wild celebrations inside the Rogers Centre as the Blue Jays cruised to victory
Barger's drive was the first postseason grand slam in Toronto history, and the big blow in a nine-run sixth inning that gave the Blue Jays an 11-2 lead over the defending World Series champions.
Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer later in the sixth for Toronto. It marked the third-biggest inning in World Series history.
The Philadelphia Athletics scored 10 runs in the seventh against the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 in 1929, and the Detroit Tigers matched that total in the third inning of Game 6 against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968.
Toronto is in the World Series for the first time since winning the second of back-to-back titles in 1993.
Daulton Varsho started Toronto's comeback from a 2-0 deficit with a two-run drive in the fourth off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
Later, fans angry that Ohtani spurned the Blue Jays to sign with the Dodgers in December 2023, chanted: 'We don't need you!'
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is at Rogers Centre on Saturday night.
