TORONTO – Addison Barger made World Series history, sent Rogers Centre into bedlam and probably buried the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1.
Barger greeted lefty reliever Anthony Banda with a 413-foot shot to right center field, the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history and give the Toronto Blue Jays an 11-2 lead as they batted around in the sixth inning.
Barger has been a postseason hero this October in Toronto but he started Game 1 on the bench with lefty ace Blake Snell starting for the Dodgers. But Snell, who entered with a 0.86 ERA this postseason, did not record an out in the sixth and then the Blue Jays feasted on Dodgers relief.
Barger’s grand slam was followed by a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single, shifting Banda into ‘wear it’ mode as the Dodgers look to Game 2.
And then Alejandro Kirk skied a fly to left field that edged over the wall, a two-run homer and the fourth time he reached base in Game 1.
The Blue Jays’ nine-run sixth was the third-highest scoring inning in World Series history.