JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
This year's World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, it's a real gift to baseball fans, and it keeps on giving.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Last night's game, the fifth game, was no exception. The Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 6-1.
SUMMERS: But what stood out was the performance of rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: Ground ball to third. To second one. To first for two. You asked. He delivered, and he is walking...
CHANG: Yesavage's outing, heard there on the Canadian broadcaster Sportsnet, was among the best ever by a rookie pitching in the World Series.
SUMMERS: In seven innings, he struck out 12 batters, breaking the World Series record set by a rookie more than 75 years ago.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: You don't see this kind of thing - a guy this young and this inexperienced doing this on this stage. This doesn't happen.
CHANG: Adding another layer to the 22-year-old's Cinderella story is his journey just this year. Yesavage started the season playing deep in the minor leagues in Single-A.
SUMMERS: Over the course of the year, he rose up through - get this - four levels to reach the majors and pitch on the biggest stage in baseball.
CHANG: At a press conference after the game, Yesavage reflected on his unlikely rise to the mound in the World Series.
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TREY YESAVAGE: Yeah, it's a crazy world. Crazy world. Hollywood couldn't have made it this good. So just being a part of this, I'm just very blessed.
SUMMERS: After Yesavage's gem last night, the Blue Jays are now just one game away from winning the World Series, and it would be the first for Toronto since 1993. Game 6 is tomorrow night.
(SOUNDBITE OF JACK NORWORTH AND ALBERT VON TILZER SONG, "TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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