Max Scherzer worked around a pair of homers to leave his World Series return with the Toronto Blue Jays in the lead.
Scherzer was pulled from Game 3 of the Fall Classic after 4.1 innings and 79 pitches on Monday night. He struck out three Los Angeles Dodgers batters while allowing five hits, three runs and one walk.
The two-time World Series champion gave up solo shots to Teoscar Hernández in the second and Shohei Ohtani in the third, but had his offence picked him in the fourth on an Alejandro Kirk three-run homer.
After Toronto took the lead, Scherzer shook off the homers to put up a shutdown zero in the bottom of the inning. He cruised through the middle of the Dodgers’ order, setting down Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman in order.
He was replaced by Mason Fluharty in the bottom of the fifth after allowing Kiké Hernández to single and getting Andy Pages to fly out. It completed two times through the order for Scherzer, as Ohtani came to the plate, prompting Blue Jays manager John Schneider to turn to his bullpen.
After Scherzer went viral in his ALCS start against the Seattle Mariners for screaming at Schneider during a mound visit as he demanded to stay in the game, there were no fireworks on Monday. Scherzer seemed to agree with the decision, nodding as the skipper took the ball.
Fluharty, however, eventually allowed Ohtani to double — his third extra-base hit of the game — bringing Hernández in to score, adding to Scherzer’s final line.
Ohtani came around to score two batters later, when Freddie Freeman singled off Fluharty to tie the game.
In his last time out, Scherzer struck out five Mariners over 5.2 innings in Game 4 of the ALCS, leading the Blue Jays to a series-tying victory.
It marked a return to the mound for the 41-year-old, who was left off Toronto’s roster for the ALDS as he struggled to end the regular season.
By starting Monday’s game, Scherzer became the first player to pitch in the World Series for four different teams. He had previously taken the mound in the Fall Classic with the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers.
