Blue Jays slam Dodgers 11-4 to take Game 1 of World Series

The Toronto Blue Jays scored nine times in the sixth inning, highlighted by a pinch-hit grand slam home run by Addison Barger to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

Batting for Davis Schneider against left-hander Anthony Banda, Barger drilled a 2-1 slider 413 feet to right-center, his third home run of these playoffs, and the first ever pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history

Barger’s homer was the first postseason grand slam in Blue Jays history, and the big blow in a nine-run, six-hit frame that gave Toronto an 11-2 lead over the defending World Series champions.

Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer later in the inning for the Blue Jays, who trails only Sandy Alomar and Cal Raleigh for the most home runs in a postseason by a catcher with four.

It marked the third-highest run total in a single inning in World Series history. The Athletics had 10 runs in the seventh against the Cubs in Game 4 in 1929, and the Tigers matched that in the third inning of Game 6 against the Cardinals in 1968.

More to come