TORONTO — Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history during Game 1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
Batting for Davis Schneider against left-hander Anthony Banda, Barger drilled a 2-1 slider 413 feet to right-center — his third home run this postseason.
Barger’s drive was the first postseason grand slam in Toronto history, and the big blow in a nine-run sixth inning that gave the Blue Jays an 11-2 lead over the defending World Series champions.
Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer later in the sixth for Toronto.
It marked the third-biggest inning in World Series history. The Philadelphia Athletics scored 10 runs in the seventh against the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 in 1929, and the Detroit Tigers matched that total in the third inning of Game 6 against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968.
Toronto is in the World Series for the first time since winning the second of back-to-back titles in 1993.
Barger hit 21 home runs in the regular season, his second in the majors.
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