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Blue Jays use nine-run sixth to rout Dodgers in World Series opener

The Canadian Press photo by Frank Gunn via AP / Toronto Blue Jays teammates Addison Barger, right, George Springer, Nathan Lukes and Andrés Giménez (obscured) celebrate after Barger connected for a pinch-hit grand slam against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.
The Canadian Press photo by Frank Gunn via AP / Toronto Blue Jays teammates Addison Barger, right, George Springer, Nathan Lukes and Andrés Giménez (obscured) celebrate after Barger connected for a pinch-hit grand slam against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

By RONALD BLUM / The Associated Press 7 min read

TORONTO — Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays had waited 32 years to let loose cheering a home run by their team in the World Series.

They got to do it three times Friday night.

Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, Alejandro Kirk followed with a two-run homer in a nine-run sixth inning, and Toronto overwhelmed the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 at Rogers Centre in Game 1, dealing the reigning champions an early deficit in their bid to repeat.

“Just madness,” Barger said of the third-highest-scoring inning ever in any game in the Fall Classic.

Daulton Varsho, limited by injuries to 71 games during the regular season, started American League champion Toronto’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit with a two-run drive in the fourth off two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, a 32-year-old left-hander.