Daily Double Play: Your MLB Update

## Game Recap
In Game 1 of the 2025 World Series on October 24 at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays overwhelmed the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers with an 11–4 victory, marking Toronto’s first World Series opener win since their historic back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993 ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/addison-barger-blue-jays-slam-dodgers-world-series-opener--flm-2025-10-25/?utm_source=openai)). The Dodgers struck first in the second inning on a two-run homer by Shohei Ohtani, but Daulton Varsho tied it in the fourth with a two-run drive off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. After five tight frames, the Blue Jays dismantled Snell and the Los Angeles bullpen in a landmark sixth inning en route to a 1–0 series lead in front of a sellout crowd of 44,353 ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2025/oct/24/world-series-2025-game-1-los-angeles-dodgers-v-toronto-blue-jays-live-updates?utm_source=openai)).

## Historic Nine-Run Sixth Inning
Trailing 2–0 after five innings, Toronto erupted for nine runs in the sixth—the most scored in a single World Series inning since the 1968 Detroit Tigers’ 10-run third ([nypost.com](https://nypost.com/2025/10/24/sports/addison-barger-smacks-grand-slam-in-nine-run-blue-jays-inning-in-world-series/?utm_source=openai)). The outburst began with Ernie Clement’s go-ahead RBI single, followed by a bases-loaded walk from Nathan Lukes and an RBI knock by Andrés Giménez. After a force out brought the tally to five, pinch-hitter Addison Barger smashed a historic grand slam—the first ever pinch-hit slam in Fall Classic history—to make it 9–2. Catcher Alejandro Kirk capped the frame with a two-run homer, sending the Rogers Centre faithful into a frenzy and turning a tied game into an insurmountable advantage ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/addison-barger-blue-jays-slam-dodgers-world-series-opener--flm-2025-10-25/?utm_source=openai)).

## Historic Grand Slam by Addison Barger
Addison Barger's pinch-hit grand slam off Anthony Banda not only punctuated Toronto’s record-setting rally but also secured his place in baseball lore. Batting for veteran Davis Schneider with the game on the line, Barger sent a 400-foot blast to right-center field, becoming the first player ever to deliver a pinch-hit grand slam in a World Series game. His clutch performance embodied the collective effort of Toronto’s lineup and shifted the psychological momentum firmly in the Blue Jays’ favor ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_slam_%28baseball%29?utm_source=openai)).

## Pitching Performances
Toronto starter Trey Yesavage battled early traffic but stabilized over 5⅔ innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts to keep the Blue Jays within striking distance before the offensive eruption ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2025/oct/24/world-series-2025-game-1-los-angeles-dodgers-v-toronto-blue-jays-live-updates?utm_source=openai)). In relief, Seranthony Domínguez earned the win by recording two strikeouts over 1 ⅓ scoreless innings, while closer Eric Lauer sealed the victory with a three-out ninth frame, tallying four strikeouts across the seventh through ninth ([new.cbssports.com](https://new.cbssports.com/mlb/news/dodgers-vs-blue-jays-world-series-game-1-live-updates-score-highlights/live/?utm_source=openai)). For Los Angeles, Blake Snell struggled with command, issuing three walks and surrendering five earned runs in just over five innings, and the vaunted Dodgers bullpen was unable to contain Toronto’s late-inning surge.

## Shohei Ohtani’s Day
Shohei Ohtani, returning from elbow surgery as a two-way phenomenon, had an eventful night punctuated by boos from a partisan Toronto crowd still stinging over his 2023 decision to join Los Angeles. After grounding into a bases-loaded out in the second, Ohtani belted a two-run homer in the seventh—his fourth home run in two playoff games—to cut the deficit to 11–4. Despite his personal milestones and formidable talent, his contributions proved insufficient to stem the Blue Jays’ onslaught, underscoring both his superstar status and the charged atmosphere at Rogers Centre ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/82a109885ab5fb1d3d30969cb489f266?utm_source=openai)).

## Implications and Next Steps
With a 1–0 series advantage, Toronto returns to the Rogers Centre on October 25 for Game 2, sending veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman (1–0, 2.45 ERA in October) to oppose Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2–0, 0.75 ERA) in a pivotal rematch. Should the Blue Jays secure consecutive home wins, the pressure will mount on Los Angeles before the series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Games 3–5. Toronto’s depth, bullpen efficiency, and lineup versatility will be tested against Yamamoto’s diverse arsenal, while the Dodgers must recalibrate their rotation and seek more reliable bullpen outings to avoid falling into a daunting 0–2 hole ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Toronto_Blue_Jays_season?utm_source=openai)).