Blue Jays Blow Past Dodgers with Nine-Run Inning in World Series Opener

The Toronto Blue Jays blasted the Los Angeles Dodgers to start the 2025 World Series with a Game 1 victory.

Oct 24, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger (47) celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning during game one of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The World Series is finally here and afterthe opener at Rogers Centre it is clear that this is going to be a good one between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Most thought the defending World Series champion Dodgers would be dominant. For one game, at least, that wasn't the case.

After falling behind 2-0, the Blue Jays did what they seem to always do — mount a rally. This one came with nine runs in one inning and helped the Jays win the game, 11-4.

Key Moments in the Opener

The Blue Jays had to face Dodgers starter Blake Snell in Game 1, and while they didn't score a run in the first they set a tone for the game. With a pair of outs Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took first base drawing a walk. Following Guerrero was the clean up man, Bo Bichette, who was taking a swing for the first time this postseason.

Bichette had a 3-0 count, but stayed aggressive. He had the first hit of the game on a change up from Snell to advance Guerrero to third with Alejandro Kirk up next. By the end of Kirk's at-bat (where he drew a walk) Snell had thrown 29 pitches, most of the postseason in a single inning.

There was a massive momentum shift from the bottom of the first to the top of the second. The bottom of the Dodgers hitting lineup stepped up. They loaded the bases with only one out, but Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage was able to emerge having allowed just one run.

Yesavage found himself in trouble again in the third. A pair of walks and a single brought another riun home, putting Toronto down, 2-0. Manager John Schneider kept Yesavage out there for the fourth inning. He got his fastball back and struck out two hitters to retire the side, which ended his outing.

DAULTON VARSHO TIES UP #WORLDSERIES GAME 1! pic.twitter.com/VncyZk97ed

— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2025

Kirk singled off Snell in the fourth inning, which set up Daulton Varsho, who slammed a 423-foot home run off a 96 mph fastball from Snell to tie the game, 2-2. Toronto continued to work on Snell, who eventually left the game in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded and no outs.

Snell allowed just two hits and no runs in his first two postseason starts, which spanned 14 innings. After Friday's start he allowed eight hits, five earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts.

To that point, the Blue Jays were getting guys on base but couldn't get them home, aside from Varsho's home run. After Snell left, things got out of hand, as the Blue Jays put together an inning for the ages.

Dodgers reliever Emmet Sheehan had trouble getting outs. He allowed an RBI single to Ernie Clement, issued a bases-loaded RBI walk to Nathan Lukes and an RBI single to Andres Gimenez, giving Toronto a 5-2 lead. Then Addison Barger stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter.

With the bases loaded and the Dodgers going to reliever Anthony Banda, Barger hit the first grand slam in World Series history as a pinch hitter. The score swelled to 9-2 with one out.

ADDISON BARGER
PINCH-HIT
GRAND SLAM#WORLDSERIES pic.twitter.com/REg58MNosp

— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2025

If that wasn't enough to end the Dodgers' hopes of winning Game 1, Kirk made sure of it, finishing off the historic inning with a two-run home run. It went over 400 feet to end Toronto's scoring.

Toronto's offense finished the game with:

• 11 Runs
• 14 Hits
• 11 RBI
• 3 Home Runs
• 1 Grand Slam
• 4 Drawn Walks
• 4 Strikeouts
• 21 Total Bases

Game 2 of the World Series is set for Saturday night, giving Toronto a chance to take a 2-0 series lead before the World Series shifts to Los Angeles on Tuesday.