The Toronto Blue Jays made a stunning statement in the first game of the World Series, overwhelming the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers with an 11-4 victory on Friday night. This remarkable game saw Addison Barger make history by hitting the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, while Alejandro Kirk contributed a two-run homer during a nine-run sixth inning that turned the tide in favor of Toronto.

Ernie Clement, the Blue Jays' third baseman, encapsulated the spirit of the team's offense, saying, “That’s the epitome of our offense. It’s a collective effort and everybody just doing their job.” The Blue Jays rallied admirably after initially falling behind 2-0, showcasing their resilience and depth throughout the lineup.

Daulton Varsho ignited Toronto's comeback with a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner. Reflecting on his previous matchups against Snell, Varsho commented, “I’ve faced him before plenty of times. He’s obviously dominated me. It’s one of those guys where you’ve got to get your best swing off and whatever happens, happens.”

The electric atmosphere was heightened as the Fall Classic returned to Toronto for the first time since 1993, a nostalgia-laden nod to the same ground where Joe Carter famously hit a walk-off homer to seal the World Series. Remarkably, Varsho is named after Darren Daulton, the catcher who played at the time, intertwining history with present excitement.

For the Dodgers, who are in pursuit of becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000, Shohei Ohtani hit his first Series home run—a two-run shot in the seventh inning—but it came during a phase when Los Angeles was trailing by nine runs. His expensive offseason move to the Dodgers, amounting to $700 million, made him a target of frustrated Blue Jays fans during the game, who chanted “We don’t need you!” as he approached the plate in the ninth inning.

Despite their disappointing start, the Dodgers seized a 2-0 lead early on, with Kiké Hernández and Will Smith delivering RBI singles against 22-year-old rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage. Making his fourth postseason start, Yesavage garnered attention for becoming the second-youngest pitcher to start in a World Series opener, trailing only Ralph Branca from 1947.

Yesavage had his share of challenges but managed to escape a few sticky situations, including leaving the bases loaded in the second inning by forcing Ohtani to ground out. Seranthony Domínguez secured the victory for Toronto after delivering 1 1/3 hitless innings of relief.

Varsho’s homer was particularly impactful as it was the first hit off Snell by a left-handed hitter since Juan Soto connected over a year prior. Snell’s struggles were evident as he yielded five runs, eight hits, and three walks over five-plus innings, leading Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to note, “Blake just didn’t have good fastball command. There were just a couple of bad walks in there.”

Returning to the lineup after a significant injury layoff, Bo Bichette played a crucial role, contributing defensively and getting on base with a vital walk. The sixth inning saw 12 batters come to the plate for Toronto, showcasing their offensive firepower. Clement's single gave them a 3-2 lead, followed by a bases-loaded walk from Nathan Lukes and an RBI single from Andrés Giménez. Barger then sealed the deal with his historic grand slam, driving a hanging slider 413 feet to right-center.

Barger described the moment, saying, “Just a blackout moment. Just crazy. I was choking up a little bit, just trying to put the ball in the air and get a run in.” Kirk, who was already contributing throughout the game, added to his postseason tally with his fourth home run, further solidifying Toronto's dominant performance.

Looking ahead, the Blue Jays are poised to continue their momentum in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Saturday night in Toronto. Kevin Gausman is set to take the mound for the Blue Jays against Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.