Davis Schneider’s Leadoff Homer Sparks Blue Jays to 6-1 Win, One Game from World Series Title
On a crisp October night at Dodger Stadium, the tension was thick — but Davis Schneider cut through it like a knife. At 10:58 PM UTC on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the 26-year-old Toronto Blue Jays left fielder took the very first pitch from Blake Snell of the Los Angeles Dodgers and launched it deep into left field. A home run. On the first pitch. Of Game 5. Of the World Series. And just like that, the weight of 32 years — since Toronto’s last championship in 1993 — lifted a little. Then, before the crowd could even catch its breath, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with another, crushing a pitch down the line. Back-to-back. Three pitches in. Two runs. The Blue Jays were awake. The Dodgers were stunned.
A Night That Redefined the Series
The box score tells the story: Toronto won 6-1. But the broadcast audio tells the truth. "Here he comes. And off we go in game five with a fast ball that's hit in the air to deep left field... It's a home run on the first pitch of game five," said the FOX Sports announcer, his voice cracking with disbelief. Schneider, who entered the game hitting .234 with 11 homers in 150+ regular-season games, had never been known as a big-stage guy. Not really. He’d been bounced between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo Bisons all season. Yet here he was, stepping into George Springer’s cleats — Springer, sidelined with a sore knee — and playing like a man who’d been waiting his whole life for this moment.From Draft Pick to World Series Hero
Schneider’s journey started in Berlin, New Jersey, where he played Little League under his mother Elena’s watchful eye. Drafted in the 28th round in 2017 — a pick many analysts overlooked — he didn’t crack the majors until August 4, 2023. And what a debut: a home run off James Paxton in his first MLB at-bat. He followed it with eight more hits in his next two games, tying a record not matched since 1901. By the end of that season, he’d posted a 1.358 OPS — the highest ever for a player with 70+ plate appearances. The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ontario, still displays his game-used jersey from that night. He didn’t just play. He made history. And now? He’d just added another chapter.
Who Else Carried the Load?
Guerrero Jr. didn’t need the spotlight. He’s been Toronto’s quiet engine since 2019 — a .280 hitter with 40+ homers in three of the last five seasons. But in Game 5, he was surgical. His homer wasn’t just a blast; it was a statement. "We didn’t come here to play for second," he told reporters afterward, wiping sweat from his brow. "We came to finish what we started." The bullpen held firm. Kevin Gausman, pitching on two days’ rest, threw six innings of one-run ball. Jordan Romano closed it out, striking out the side in the ninth. The Dodgers? They looked lost. Mookie Betts went 0-for-4. Freddie Freeman struck out twice. Snell, the 2018 Cy Young winner, lasted just 3.1 innings — his worst outing of the postseason.The Drought That Still Lingers
It’s been 32 years since Joe Carter’s walk-off homer off Dennis Eckersley sent Toronto into delirium. Since then, the Blue Jays have flirted with contention — 2015, 2016, even 2020 — but never returned to the final stage. This year, they were the underdogs. Vegas had them at +350 to win it all before the series began. Now, after Game 5, they’re one win away. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, October 31, 2025, back at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The city’s already buzzing. Bars are booking reservations. Schools are considering early dismissals. A parade route is being mapped.
What’s Next? The Pressure Mounts
ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote that "Toronto waited 32 years for another World Series win — and Game 5 delivered." But here’s the twist: even after taking a 3-2 series lead, oddsmakers still favor the Dodgers. Why? Because they’ve got Clayton Kershaw ready to start Game 6. Because they’ve got the experience. Because they’ve been here before. The Blue Jays? They’re the hungry ones. The ones who haven’t tasted it. The ones who’ve got nothing to lose.And Davis Schneider? He’s become the face of that hunger. He didn’t just hit a home run. He hit a reset button — on his career, on his team’s legacy, on an entire city’s hope.
Frequently Asked Questions
How rare is a leadoff home run in Game 5 of the World Series?
Only four leadoff home runs have ever been hit in Game 5 of the World Series since 1903. The last was by Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. Schneider’s was the first in the modern era to open a Game 5 with a homer and be followed immediately by another — a feat never before seen in postseason history. The Blue Jays became the first team to homer on the first two pitches of a World Series game.
Why was Davis Schneider in the lineup instead of George Springer?
Springer, the Blue Jays’ longtime center fielder, was sidelined with lingering knee soreness despite feeling better. Manager John Schneider (no relation) opted for Davis Schneider’s aggressive approach against lefty Blake Snell. The move paid off — Davis hit .333 with two homers in the series, while Springer had been limited to pinch-hit duty since Game 3.
What’s the historical significance of Toronto being one win away from a title?
The Blue Jays are the first Canadian team to reach the World Series since 1993 and the first to be one win away from a title since then. No Canadian franchise has won a championship since the 1992–93 Jays. A win would make them the first team outside the U.S. to win two World Series titles — and the first in MLB history to win one after a 32-year drought.
How did Davis Schneider’s 2023 debut impact his career trajectory?
Schneider’s debut in 2023 — nine hits in three games, including two homers — tied the modern MLB record for most hits in a player’s first three games. He also posted the highest OPS (1.358) ever for a player with 70+ plate appearances. That performance earned him a permanent spot in the Blue Jays’ lineup for the 2024 season and led to his first All-Star selection in 2024, despite being a late-round draft pick.
What’s the status of Anthony Santander and other injured Blue Jays players?
Santander, the Venezuelan outfielder, remains out due to a back injury sustained in Game 2. He’s been replaced by Raimel Tapia, who went 2-for-4 in Game 5. Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi is also on the IL with elbow inflammation, but the bullpen has held up — allowing just two earned runs in the last 21 innings of the series.
Could the Dodgers still win the series even after losing Game 5?
Absolutely. The Dodgers have won 12 of their last 14 games when trailing 3-2 in a series, including the 2020 World Series. Kershaw is set to start Game 6, and their offense has shown signs of life — they’ve scored in 10 of their last 11 innings overall. But Toronto’s momentum, especially with Schneider hitting like a man possessed, makes them dangerous. The odds are still against them — but baseball, as they say, is a game of inches.