Blue Jays have no answer for Dodgers pitching in Game 2 loss

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Before he signed the biggest and most important contract of his career, Kevin Gausman did his research.

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The Blue Jays ace wanted to pitch for a contender and he wanted it bad.

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On Saturday night at the Rogers Centre, Gausman got that opportunity and climbed aboard the World Series stage, pitching his guts out in what turned out to be a heart-wrenching 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After retiring 17 consecutive Dodgers and seemingly getting stronger almost by the pitch, Gausman wavered just enough in the seventh, blinking twice, to let triumph get away.

A home run by Will Smith gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead, and two batters later Max Muncy followed with his own solo shot — both high over the wall in left field — to provide the visitors with all the runs they would need.

The buzzkill result for a sellout crowd of 44,607 evened the best-of-seven series at a win apiece as it shifts to Los Angeles for the next three games beginning on Monday.

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For Gausman, it felt like a shame, really, a thing of beauty boxscore turning on two lethal swings made more damaging given the tight pitching duel that was unfolding.

The deeper the game went, though, the more evident was that it might not have mattered given that Gausman’s dominance actually paled in comparison to Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is now in the midst of an incredible post-season run.

Not only did the Japanese right-hander pitch a second consecutive complete game this postseason, he retired the final 20 Jays batters he faced.

Our takeaways from another lively World Series night in Toronto.

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WHY DID IT MEAN SO MUCH FOR GAUSMAN?

Gausman made it clear what he felt about the organization when he signed here in advance of the 2022 season. He saw upside, potential and an opportunity to make it to the World Series for the first time in his career.

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“I mean, really this is the reason why I came here,” Gausman said this week. “Looking at the roster after the 2021 season, I believed they had the best offence in baseball and that definitely excited me being a pitcher.

“There was a lot to like and that’s ultimately why I came here.”

It wasn’t always easy for Gausman, who took meek playoff exits and last year’s last-place season hard.

“The first couple of years were rough and heartbreaking,” Gausman said. “To get swept back-to-back years in the the Wildcard was tough. Last year was even tougher because it felt like we were a really good team and we all just got punched in the face.”

They got back up again though and by splitting the first two at home have at least shown the Dodgers they’ll be in for a fight.

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HOW A PITCHING DUEL TOOK OVER

Here’s where life gets extremely difficult for the Jays, a stout challenge awaiting over the next three games in Los Angeles.

Given that the Dodgers are essentially dealing four aces at the Jays, to have a shot at the title they were always going to need efforts like the one Gausman provided.

But as good as Gausman was, Yamamoto was even better, as his sensational run continues.

After pitching a complete game in his previous start — an NLCS win over the Brewers, it was Yamamoto mastery. How good was he? Mixing and matching his sequences, he kept Jays batters baffled and was still going strong when he struck out the side in the eighth.

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That pushed the total of consecutive Jays retired to 17 in a row and with a 5-1 lead, the game was as good as over.

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The energy among the packed house started to wane by the end of that stretch of stymied Jays hitting.

Gausman’s only blemish through the first six were a pair of two-out hits in the first, the second an RBI single from Smith.

His excellence took over from there, though, until the fateful Dodger bombs in the seventh. Gausman slumped in disappointment after Muncy’s shot, clearly aware of the consequences.

A bases-loaded wild pitch by Jeff Hoffman in the following inning gave the Dodgers more insurance, but with Yamamoto going the distance, they hardly needed it.

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HOW DID DODGERS KEEP JAYS BATS QUIET?

As there always is among better teams these days, there was a plan in place. And Yamamoto apparently executed it to perfection.

Pre-series scouting by the Dodgers would have revealed the danger the Jays have up and down their lineup. An 11-4 loss in Friday’s Game 1 would have confirmed it.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged as much prior to Saturday’s Game 2.

“It’s cat and mouse,” Roberts said. “That’s an aggressive hitting team, certainly early in the count. So if you can … it’s a risk-reward to be able to get quick outs versus potentially taking on early count damage.

“I know those guys are going to be aggressive early. That’s just kind of who they are.”

They were little match for Yamamoto, who filled the zone and refused to allow Jays hitters to extend his hit count. As a result, he was pitching as strong at the end of his stellar outing as he was at the beginning.

UP NEXT

After an off day to travel across the continent, we’re guaranteed three games in SoCal, starting Monday at famed Dodger Stadium.

Next ace up for the Dodgers is Tyler Glasnow, who will face wily (and intense) Jays veteran Max Scherzer.

For Game 4 the following night, Shohei Ohtani will follow his 10-strikeout night against the Brewers and face the Jays trade deadline acquisition, Shane Bieber.

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