2025 World Series Game 1: (AL No. 1) Toronto Blue Jays def. (NL No. 3) Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4

Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer, and the Toronto Blue Jays erupted for nine runs in the sixth inning to overwhelm the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers 11–4 in Game 1 on Friday night at Rogers Centre.

The Dodgers, playing after a one-week layoff following their National League Championship Series sweep, jumped out to a 2–0 lead against 22-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage. Kiké Hernández delivered an RBI single in the second inning, followed by Will Smith’s run-scoring hit in the third.

Toronto’s comeback began in the fourth, when Daulton Varsho tied the game with a two-run homer to dead center off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. From there, the Blue Jays’ offense took over.

In the sixth inning, Snell loaded the bases with no outs before being pulled. Reliever Emmett Sheehan allowed an RBI single to Ernie Clement, a bases-loaded walk to Nathan Lukes, and a run-scoring single by Andres Gimenez to give Toronto a 5–2 lead—all before recording an out. After George Springer grounded into a force out, Addison Barger came off the bench and crushed a pinch-hit grand slam to break the game wide open. Moments later, catcher Alejandro Kirk added a two-run shot, capping the Blue Jays’ nine-run inning and extending the lead to 11–2.

The nine-run frame was the most in a World Series game since the 1968 Detroit Tigers, who scored 10 in an inning during Game 6 of the 1968 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Shohei Ohtani had a highlight for Los Angeles, hitting a two-run homer in the seventh off Braydon Fisher—his fourth home run in two games—but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series continues Saturday night in Toronto, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting for the Dodgers and Kevin Gausman taking the mound for the Blue Jays.