Los Angeles Dodgers Hold On in Toronto to Set Up Decisive Game 7 in World Series
The World Series is going to a decisive seventh game following the Los Angeles Dodgers kept their repeat dreams alive Friday night with a three to one win over the Blue Jays in Game 6.
The defending champions halted Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final twin killing, silencing a home audience that had arrived prepared to celebrate the city’s championship in over three decades.
Sixth Game Summary
Los Angeles generated all of their offense in the third frame. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith doubled to left field to bring home Edman. Freddie Freeman earned a base on balls to fill the bases, and Mookie Betts came through with a two-run single to left, handing the Dodgers a three-run lead.
Betts’ hit snapped a postseason slump and revived the defending champions’ aspirations of being the first repeat championship victors since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 through 2000.
Mound Duel
Gausman had been dominant to that point, fanning half a dozen of the initial seven Dodgers he faced. He fanned 8 through three frames, matching a World Series record, but the third-inning barrage proved costly. The Toronto ace finished with eight strikeouts over six innings, yielding three earned runs on three hits and two free passes.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in contrast, was solid again under pressure. The 27-year-old right-hander outpitched his counterpart for the second time in a seven days, allowing a single run on five base hits over six innings with six strikeouts. He boosted his record to four wins and one loss this postseason with a 1.56 ERA.
The only run against him came on George Springer two-out base hit in the third inning, scoring Addison Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. That single provided a momentary lift in his return to the starting nine after sitting out a pair of contests with an oblique injury.
Bullpen Effort
From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen carried the load. Rookie Justin Wrobleski escaped a tight spot in the seventh, and fellow rookie Rōki Sasaki pitched into the ninth before plunking Kirk to start the frame. Addison Barger followed with a double that became wedged under the outfield wall, obliging base runners to stay at second and third base.
Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers' third game starting pitcher, came on in relief and got a pop fly before Giménez lined to left field. Hernández made the catch and fired to second base to double off the runner, sealing the victory and earning the pitcher his first career successful save.
Next Up: Game 7
The best-of-seven now comes down to one game. Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, making him the only living pitcher to start multiple World Series Game 7s after doing so in 2019 with the Nationals. The veteran signed a one-year deal to pursue another championship and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.
The Dodgers, aiming to be the sport's first back-to-back champions in nearly a quarter-century, are expected to lean on Shohei Ohtani for a short outing.