John Schneider on holding Kevin Gausman in Game 2 after a home run

The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to confound their opponents with great pitching in Game 2 World Series. Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched his second consecutive complete game postseason on Saturday when the Dodgers evened the series. Yamamoto’s performance overshadowed a strong start from Kevin Gausman.

The Toronto Blue Jays the ace managed to match Yamamoto frame for frame through six innings as Game 2 turned into a pitcher’s duel. But the Dodgers broke through in the seventh with solo homers by Will Smith and Mack Muncie. LA’s 3-1 lead would be more than enough to dial in Yamamoto.

But some Blue Jays fans questioned it John Schneiderthe decision to leave Gausman in the game for the third time through Dodgers lineup. Especially after Will Smith’s 404 foot bomb. “We’re trying to really take that into account. We got Shohei (for the third time in the sixth inning),” Schneider explained to TSN. “I think at that point it’s just the state of the game… So I trusted Kev to get out of it. Even though it’s his third time. He’s got to watch what he’s doing.”

Kevin Gausman’s effort in Game 2 topped Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s gem

Gausman retired Freddie Freeman to start the seventh inning. He then faced Smith, who counted everything. The 13-year veteran threw six straight fastballs to Dodgers catchers. Smith drove the final four into the second deck in left field to give Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.

At that point, Gausman had thrown 72 pitches. Schneider opted to leave the two-time All-Star in the game and struck out Teoscar Hernandez. But Gausman would not get out of the inning as Muncie hit another fastball to deep left, giving the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.

Louis Varland relieved Gausman, retired Quique Hernandez to end the seventh. Although Varland would run into trouble in the next inning as LA extended their lead to 5-1.

In the end, Schneider’s decision to leave the starter out to face Muncie didn’t affect the outcome. Yamamoto needed just one strikeout as he struck out 20 straight Blue Jays to close out his complete game.

Gausman also found a groove in Game 2. After Smith’s RBI single in the first inning, the 34-year-old starter retired 17 straight Dodgers. Smith then ended the streak with his seventh inning bomb.

Yamamoto and Gausman made history as the first starters to retire 17+ consecutive batters in a postseason game.