1 of 6 | Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday in Toronto. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Yoshinobu Yamamoto spun splitters, cutters and curveballs around Toronto Blue Jays bats, logging his second-consecutive postseason complete game Saturday to help the Los Angeles Dodgers tie the World Series 1-1.
With the pristine performance, Yamamoto became the first Dodgers pitcher since Orel Hershiser in 1988 to register consecutive complete games in the playoffs. He allowed just four hits and one with, with no walks and eight strikeouts, on 105 pitches in the 5-1 win in Toronto.
“I took it inning by inning and was executing my pitches very well today,” Yamamoto said on the Fox broadcast.
Yamamoto and Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman were engaged in a pitchers’ duel for the majority of the night. But Dodgers bats broke through in the seventh, headlined by home runs from catcher Will Smith and third baseman Max Muncy, to propel the victory.
“He just kinda had everything going and really kept them off-balance,” Smith said of Yamamoto, who retired the final 20 batters he faced in order.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto closes out an incredible #WorldSeries performance pic.twitter.com/fxWxO49kQN— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2025
Smith was the only hitter to record more than one hit in Game 2. He went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored. The Dodgers (1-1) will host the Blue Jays (1-1) in Game 3 on Monday in Los Angeles.
Like in Game 1, the Dodgers earned an initial lead in Game 2, but this time they rode Yamamoto’s arm for a series-tying win. Smith plated first baseman Freddie Freeman for a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first inning. Fellow catcher Alejandro Kirk tied the score with an RBI sacrifice fly in the third, but the Blue Jays didn’t score again.
Smith brought in the Dodgers’ second run on Gausman with a 404-foot solo shot to left field in the second at-bat of the seventh inning. Just two at-bats later, Muncy deposited a 351-foot homer to left field for a 3-1 advantage, resulting in Gausman’s exit.
The Dodgers earned insurance with two runs in the eighth, courtesy of a wild pitch and a Smith RBI ground out.
WILL SMITH TO THE SECOND DECK FOR THE LEAD! #WORLDSERIES pic.twitter.com/OWLcufkPmi— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2025
Gausman allowed four hits and three runs over 6 2/3 innings. He issued six strikeouts and no walks to drop to 2-2 this postseason. No Blue Jays players reached base more than once in Game 2.
The first pitch for Game 3 is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT Monday at Dodger Stadium. Max Scherzer is expected to start for the Blue Jays. The Dodgers are expected to send fellow right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow to the mound. Game 4 will be Tuesday in Los Angeles.
