Los Angeles Dodgers Survive in Canada to Set Up Winner-Take-All Game 7 in World Series
This year's championship series is going to a final Game 7 after the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their repeat dreams alive Friday night with a three to one victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.
The defending champions ended Toronto’s late-game comeback with a dramatic game-ending double play, stunning a Rogers Centre audience that had come ready to cheer the team's first title in 32 years.
Game 6 Summary
Los Angeles generated all of their offense in the third inning. With two outs, Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith doubled to left field to score Edman. Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Betts delivered with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, handing the Dodgers a 3–0 lead.
Betts’ hit broke a playoff dry spell and revived the defending champions’ aspirations of becoming the initial back-to-back championship victors since the New York Yankees captured three straight from 1998 through 2000.
Mound Duel
Kevin Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that stage, striking out half a dozen of the first seven Dodgers he faced. He struck out 8 through three innings, matching a World Series mark, but the third-frame rally proved decisive. The Blue Jays' star ended with eight strikeouts over six innings, yielding three runs on three hits and two free passes.
Yamamoto, meanwhile, was solid again under stress. The righty outdueled Gausman for the second time in a seven days, giving up a single run on five hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He improved to four wins and one loss this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.
The lone score against him resulted from Springer’s two-out base hit in the third inning, driving in Barger, who had hit a double previously in the frame. Springer’s hit offered a momentary lift in his return to the lineup after missing two games with an side strain.
Bullpen Heroics
From there, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. First-year pitcher Justin Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and another rookie Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning before hitting Alejandro Kirk to start the inning. Addison Barger then hit a two-base hit that got stuck under the outfield wall, obliging runners to hold at second and third.
Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starter, entered in a relief role and got a popout before Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to left field. Enrique Hernández caught the ball and threw to second to double off Barger, sealing the win and giving the pitcher his first-ever successful save.
Looking Ahead: Game 7
The series now comes down to one game. Scherzer will take the mound for Toronto, making him the only living pitcher to pitch in multiple seventh games of the World Series after accomplishing that in 2019 with Washington. The veteran signed a one-year deal to pursue another championship and has been a vocal leader throughout this playoff run.
The Los Angeles squad, aiming to become the sport's initial repeat title winners in almost 25 years, are expected to rely on their two-way star for a brief appearance.