If the Dodgers are to repeat as World Champions, winning Game 5 is essential, and if they're going to win, it's going to be with their pitching. Blake Snell got roughed up for five runs in the first game. He left three runners on base with no outs in the sixth inning that scored after he was pulled, reaching his 100 pitch limit, and six more runs scored for a nine-run inning. That's a stain on the Dodgers that Snell knows he has to fix. The Dodgers aren't hitting, batting only .243 in the playoffs with 59 RBIs in 14 playoff games, so they have to win by solid pitching, and I think they do tonight. I'm thinking Dodgers, 5-1. I bet the under.

The World Series is now even, with each team winning two games and guaranteeing a return trip to Toronto for the 6th and possibly 7th game. In Game 5 tonight, we have Trey Yesavage going against left-hander Blake Snell, who got roughed up in the first outing in Game 1. That was the 11-4 Blue Jays win, one where they ran the pitch count up early on Snell to a hundred pitches thrown by the beginning of the 6th inning. I got a feeling that Snell is going to be much better at home with less monkeying around with the pitches. They took him out of his attack mode, and he knows it. I see another 5-1 Dodgers win.

Why not at this price as I'm not getting any good options on the actual game result (i.e. -1 or Dodgers not bat B9). The Dodgers need and want distance out of Blake Snell as Manager Dave Roberts does not trust his bullpen, nor should he. I also think L.A. might light up Jays rookie Trey Yesavage early on in just his third career road start and first in many weeks. So ideally Snell is up 3-0 or something after five, and he cruises for an inning or two more before getting pulled for possible relief duty in a Game 7 if necessary. No George Springer again for the Jays, presumably, and he's a rare guy with good career splits off Snell.

The Blue Jays are not blinking in this World Series as the normal Dodger intimidation games don't seem to be working. Toronto could easily have won these last two games at Chavez Ravine as the Jays have blocked out he Dodger Stadium factor, and LA can't be quite as comfy with Blake Snell on the mound after he was roughed up in Game One. Meanwhile, John Schneider is confident he can get five or so innings from Trey Yesevage, though the Blue Jays bullpen is again going to be asked to do some heavy lifting. Three of the four games already in this series have reached at least eight runs. Play Blue Jays-Dodgers Over