The Dodgers had three pitchers allow three or more earned runs in the same World Series game for the second time in their history in an 11-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 Friday evening in Toronto.
Addison Barger hit the first pinch hit grand slam in the World Series during the nine-run sixth inning as the Blue Jays scored 11 unanswered runs.
Alejandro Kirk hit a two-run homer three batters after Barger’s grand slam.
The Game 1 winner has gone to win the Series 77 of 120 times, 64.2%.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Saturday in Toronto.
The Dodgers opened the scoring in the second after being retired in order in the first. Will Smith led off with a walk. Teoscar Hernández hit into a force out, moved to second on Max Muncy’s single and scored on Kiké Hernández’s single.
The Dodgers loaded the bases on Tommy Edman’s infield single but could not add another run as Andy Pages struck out and Shohei Ohtani grounded out to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Toronto first baseman, to end the inning.
The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the third as Mookie Betts led off with a walk, moved to second when Freddie Freeman walked and scored on Smith’s single.
The Blue Jays tied the score in the fourth. Kirk led off with a single off the right field wall. Daulton Varsho hit the next pitch from Dodger starter Blake Snell 423 feet over the center field fence for a home run.
Toronto’s first six batters in the sixth reached base.
Bo Bichette walked on a full count and was replaced by pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kirk singled and Varsho was hit by a pitch to load the bases, prompting manager Dave Roberts to replace Snell with Emmet Sheehan.
Ernie Clement singled on the second pitch from Sheehan, driving in Kiner-Falefa. Pinch hitter Nathan Lukes drew a nine-pitch walk from Sheehan, forcing in Kirk.
Andrés Giménez singled on a 1-2 changeup from Sheehan, driving in Varsho, the third and final run of the inning charged to Snell.
George Springer hit a ground ball to Betts, the Dodgers’ shortstop, who threw to Smith, their catcher, for the force out on Clement.
When Barger, a left-handed hitter, was announced as the pinch hitter for Davis Schneider, a right-handed hitter, Roberts opted to replace Sheehan, a right-hander, with left-hander Anthony Banda.
Barger hit a 2-1 slider from Banda 413 feet over the center field fence for a grand slam, with the first three runs charged to Sheehan because they reached base against him.
Banda also allowed the home run to Kirk to also allow three runs in the inning.
Ohtani hit a two-run homer in the seventh after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first three plate appearances. He walked in ninth.
Ohtani is hitting .222 in the postseason with six home runs, 11 RBIs and 19 strikeouts.
Snell (3-1), the first of five Dodger pitchers, was charged with the loss, allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings, with four strikeouts and three walks.
Seranthony DomÃnguez (1-1), the third of six pitchers for the Blue Jays, was credited with the victory, retiring all four batters he faced, striking out two.
The Dodgers were out-hit 14-6, in front of a crowd at Rogers Centre announced at 44,353.
No Dodger had a multiple-hit game. Kirk was 3-for-3, while Barger, Clement, Guerrero and Springer each had two hits.
The Dodgers left seven runners on base, Toronto five. The Dodgers were 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position, the Blue Jays 3-for-5.
The other time the Dodgers had three pitchers each allow three or more runs in a World Series game was Game 5 of the 1978 World Series when starter Burt Hooton allowed three earned runs (and one unearned run), Lance Rautzhan allowed three and Charlie Hough five in a 12-2 loss to the New York Yankees.
The Dodgers have played in 129 World Series games.