Glory beckons

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage is eyeing a Hollywood ending to a remarkable season after a dazzling performance carried the Toronto Blue Jays to the brink of World Series glory on Wednesday.

Yesavage, 22, delivered a gem to dominate the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star-studded batting line-up in a 6-1 Blue Jays triumph that has left the Canadian team one win away from the title.

The hard-throwing right-hander recorded 12 strikeouts with no walks across seven superb innings for just one run in a nerveless display at Dodger Stadium.

It marked the latest stop on a meteoric rise through the ranks for Yesavage, who began the season playing for Toronto’s Single-A minor league affiliate Dunedin — the fifth tier of baseball in the United States — in a game played in front of 327 spectators.

On Wednesday, Yesavage shrugged off the roar of a 52,175-sellout crowd to craft a World Series masterpiece.

“It’s a crazy world,” Yesavage said afterwards. “Crazy world. Hollywood couldn’t have made it this good. So just being a part of this, I’m just very blessed.”

Yesavage had become the second youngest pitcher in history to start an opening World Series game last week but struggled with his command and exited the game early.

However, he returned on Wednesday to torment a Dodgers line-up led by Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani which includes the likes of former Most Valuable Players Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.

Yesavage though said he was undaunted by the prospect of facing the array of talent in the Dodgers ranks.

“I was just out there — I treat every hitter the same,” he said.

“At this level every hitter can do damage. Just another strikeout.”

Yesavage, who started only three games in the regular season before impressing during the early rounds of the postseason, admits he can scarcely believe the trajectory of his year.

“I’m waiting for life to slow down in this off-season and just be able to collect my thoughts and my feelings on this crazy year,” he said.

The youngster, meanwhile, said he had leant heavily on the experience in the ranks of Toronto’s pitching staff, which includes Cy Young Award winners Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber, and All-Star Kevin Gausman.

“They have been a huge part of it. I was talking to Gausman and Scherzer and Bieber and everybody yesterday, and it just prepared me for this moment, along with everything that has happened already this year,” Yesavage said.

“It’s been a crazy year but being surrounded by vets is a great thing for the future of my career. They have treated me the best I could have ever asked for. So going forward with other rookies that come up, I’m going to remember how I was treated when I got here.”