🔗 Share this article

This year's World Series is going to a final Game 7 after the Dodgers kept their title defense hopes alive Friday night with a three to one win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.

The defending champions ended Toronto’s late-game comeback with a thrilling final twin killing, stunning a home crowd that had arrived prepared to cheer the team's championship in 32 years.

Sixth Game Recap

Los Angeles generated all of their offense in the third inning. With two away, Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to score Tommy Edman. Freeman earned a base on balls to load the bases, and Mookie Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, giving the Dodgers a 3–0 advantage.

That key hit broke a postseason slump and revived the title holders' hopes of becoming the first repeat World Series winners since the Yankees won three consecutive from 1998 through 2000.

Mound Battle

Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, striking out six of the first seven batters he confronted. He struck out 8 through three frames, matching a World Series record, but the third-frame rally proved costly. The Toronto ace finished with 8 Ks over six innings, allowing three earned runs on three safeties and two free passes.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under stress. The righty outdueled his counterpart for the second occasion in a seven days, giving up one run on five hits over six frames with six Ks. He improved to 4–1 this playoffs with a 1.56 ERA.

The only run against him resulted from Springer’s two-out single in the third inning, scoring Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single provided a momentary lift in his return to the starting nine after missing a pair of contests with an side strain.

Relief Effort

After that, the Los Angeles relievers took over. First-year pitcher Wrobleski got out of a jam in the seventh, and fellow rookie Sasaki worked into the ninth inning before plunking Alejandro Kirk to start the frame. Addison Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the left-center-field fence, forcing runners to hold at second and third base.

Glasnow, the Dodgers' Game 3 starting pitcher, entered in relief and got a popout before Andrés Giménez lined to left. Hernández made the catch and threw to second to retire Barger, clinching the win and giving Glasnow his first career successful save.

Next Up: Seventh Game

The best-of-seven now boils down to a single contest. Max Scherzer will start for Toronto, making him the only living pitcher to pitch in multiple World Series Game 7s after accomplishing that in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran inked a single-season contract to chase another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this postseason.

The Los Angeles squad, aiming to become the sport's initial repeat champions in almost 25 years, are projected to rely on their two-way star for a short outing.