World Series 2025: Blue Jays pound Dodgers 11x4

Dream comeback for The Toronto Blue Jays to the World Series after 32 years: on Friday they overwhelmed the Los Angeles Dodgers by 11x4, with an Addison Barger grand slam.

The Blue Jays started 2-0 down to the defending major league champions, who had been sweeping the playoffs, but turned the score around with an explosive nine-run sixth inning, according to AFP.

Barger and Mexico's Alejandro Kirk hit historic home runs, four and two runs, to give the Canadian team a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Kirk's blast, which drove in a total of three runs, was the first home run by a Mexican-born player in a World Series.

Shohei Ohtani, the Angels' superstar, also hit his first career home run in a World Series, on a night when his powerful team received a clear message of defiance from the Canadians.

The Dodgers came into the final having won nine of their 10 games this postseason, the last of them with a historic performance by Ohtani in his dual role as hitter and pitcher.

The Californians were favored to win their first back-to-back two-season championships in a quarter-century, but on Friday they crashed against an unbeatable Blue Jays at home this year.

Barger's grand slam

Daulton Varshon, with a two-run homer, neutralized the Dodgers' 2x0 lead in the fourth inning.

With the game tied, came the Blue Jays' takeoff in the sixth inning.

A single by Ernie Clement opened the fire after the Dodgers retired the renowned starter Blake Snell, who had allowed the locals to fill the bases with no outs.

Venezuelan Andres Gimenez added to the siege with another hit and a run batted in, before the 44,353 fans erupted with Barger's grand slam off reliever Anthony Banda, a 126-yard missile.

The American was the first leadoff hitter to hit a four-run home run in a World Series.

"It was just like a blackout moment, just crazy," said an emotional Barger. "We have such a tight energetic group, and we're having fun out there."

"We understand we're playing the Dodgers - but we're trying to keep everything the same and just go out and compete," he added.

The home side kept bombing Banda and Alejandro Kirk capped the damage with another two-run homer that put Toronto with an unassailable 11x2 lead.

Ohtani's two-run home run in the seventh episode was little consolation for the Dodgers, who refused to attribute the loss to the long break after their sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series.

"Honestly, I really don't think the week layoff had anything to do with tonight, I really don't," said their manager, Dave Roberts. "We were rested. I thought we were in a good spot. We had a 2-0 lead and then Varsho hits a homer and we didn't pitch well after that. So I really honestly don't think that had anything to do with it."

"But I think that we can be better, we need to be better," the helmsman claimed.