Nice to see the Jays win. Yesavage was impressive allowing just three hits with no walks in seven innings. Gotta figure the Jays have at least a 70% chance of bringing home the hardware.
I’m guessing Yamamoto wins game six then it’s all tossers on deck— 17 pitchers combined by inning six in game seven. 
The graphic they showed on Fox was that in a 7-game series that was tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 won the series 67% of the time. I had to explain to my 11-year-old how that was actually worse than what 50/50 odds would tell you (75% chance to win).
I guess I’d give the Dodgers about a 70% chance of winning Game 6 (although it feels like more with how Yamamoto has been the last two time out), with Game 7 a coin flip. So that gives a 65% chance the Jays win overall.
Here are the cumulative stats for the first five games of the series. Frankly, the Dodgers are lucky to still be in it. They’re batting .201 as a team and have been outscored 29-18. Their ERA is about 1.5 runs higher than the Jays. But two outstanding pitching performances (Yamamoto in Game 2 and the bullpen in Game 3) have kept them alive
I had a long layover at YYZ (Pearson) and got on this train in October 2015. It had only opened a few months earlier. I’ve not had the occasion to fly into a city and head for the arena directly (and in this case from NYC it’d probably be YTZ which as you said is right there). It takes just under an hour, left me time to wander around Old/Downtown Toronto and head back.
Much nicer than the JFK Airtrain which brings you to beautiful midtown Jamaica.
Baseball is a funny game where anything can happen. The possibility exists that you may also be the last to congratulate them. 
Toronto has wildly outplayed the Dodgers over the five games. The problem for them is that it’s a seven game series, and Yamamoto is pitching tomorrow night.
Baseball doesn’t have momentum. As bad as the Dodgers have looked, many teams have come back from 3-2, and they didn’t win 104 competitive games this year without being a hell of a team.
I’m rooting for Toronto all the way, but the posting rules forbid me to discuss why. LOL
My hope is still alive (Toronto wins a game seven walk off).
Sure it does. Momentum in baseball is tomorrow’s starting pitcher.
Question which now arises: what are the chances that Ohtani pitches out of the pen in either of the last two games? Doing so will obviate the DH I believe (unless the new “Ohtani Rule” which allows him to remain in as the DH works the other way), meaning to stay in the lineup he’d have to play in the outfield and the next pitcher(s) would have to bat for the rest of the game.
It may be anecdotal, yet I’ve heard a knuckleballer can mess with batters minds and swings even the next day. Call that momentum yet it doesn’t apply here.
The Dodger’s didn’t know how much they needed a complete game from Yamamoto for game 2, yet they sure would appreciate another tomorrow with a nice 5-1 lead in later innings. Scattering 4 hits and getting one run surely would have the Jays, at best thinking, we’ll throw everything at them in game 7 and blow them out or get the walk-off HR.
It does not. I would be pretty surprised if he pitches out of the pen. Maybe in Game 7.
As a Cardinal fan I’d love to give Gibson all the credit, but there were a few others:
Denny McClain won 30 games that year for Detroit
Don Drysdale threw 58 1/3 straight scoreless innings, recording six consecutive shutouts
Luis Tiant had a 1.60 ERA for Cleveland - not quite as good as Gibson, but not chopped meat
Juan Marichal won 26 games for the Giants, including an eight-game streak.
In 1968 the overall batting average for the American League was .230, and .243 for the National League.
And they are a hell of a team. They are like the cornered, rabid, mean dog. That dog can bite, and that dog can kill.
Whoa, whoa, WHOA there buddy. Slow down! And do not upset the Baseball Gods!
I’m still hurting from the 2002 World Series, game 6, with the Giants holding a 3-2 game lead over Anaheim, bottom of the 7th, the Giants leading 5-0 and starting pitcher Russ Ortiz was DEALING. After back to back singles to Troy Glaus and Brad Fulmer, Anaheim had runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Dusty Baker pulls Russ Ortiz and then, there in Anaheim as Ortiz is walking off the mound, he gives Ortiz the ‘game ball’!
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
The Giants had their dynasty of 2010 - 2012 - 2014, and yet 2002 still hurts like hell!
Do Not Disrespect The Baseball Gods!
Here is that exact moment:
➜ https://youtu.be/0_hRcrIwytg&t=2h8m5s ■
The wheels fell off from that moment on. The Angels won it in 7.
I’d think going into game 6 the Dodgers are looking for a solid 7+/8/9 if possible from Yamamoto with “conventional” relief.
Yet In either game the I reckon the “Ohtani rule” would be in effect so he could bat as the DH and if he’s replaced there’s no DH for the Dodgers anymore. (If I understand that rule)
From my POV, I never liked the DH and to make a special rule for one player was wrong. I’m all for two-way players - hey the Red Sox kept Babe Ruth in for 14 innings, the last 13 scoreless, in game 2 of the 1916 WS to defeat the Brooklyn Robins.
From the Sporting News:
Under the 2022 MLB rule, which also applies to the postseason, a pitcher is allowed to remain in the game as a designated hitter even when they are removed as the starting pitcher. The one key distinction: it only applies to the starting pitcher, not relievers.
Ohtani is MLB’s lone two-way player (for now), so the rule meant he was able to start a game on the mound, be his team’s designated hitter, then continue hitting once he was pulled as the pitcher.
Later in the same article:
Ohtani has never pitched in relief, but in that case, his bat could not be utilized in the Dodgers’ lineup — he would not be allowed to enter the game as a reliever with the team holding onto its DH spot. To stay in the lineup in that scenario, Ohtani would have to move into the field.
So it’s doubtful that Ohtani will be brought in as a relief pitcher, unless maybe to close out the game.
A lot of people just assume Yamamoto will dominate and the Dodgers will force a game 7. He might, but he had poor outing against the Phillies in the NLDS, so nothing is a given. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Blue Jays wrap this up Friday night.
I didn’t think Toronto had the pitching for a deep October run, but then Yesavage came out of nowhere and Gausman proved to be a five-inning, postseason ace. This is a team that won 20 more games than they did in 2024, with essentially the same roster. Except for the reconfigured bullpen, which is strong enough to see them over the finish line. So my prediction is Toronto over L.A. in game six, 5-3.
This will be a tough one! I think Yamamoto will win this one, forcing a game 7 that’ll include basically everyone from both bullpens.
IBBing Ohtani finally backfired on the Jays, Mookie finally gets to be the hero.