Los Angeles Dodgers Hold On in Canada to Set Up Decisive Game 7 in World Series
The championship series is going to a decisive Game 7 after the Dodgers kept their repeat hopes alive Friday night with a 3–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6.
The reigning title holders ended Toronto’s ninth-inning rally with a dramatic final twin killing, silencing a home audience that had arrived prepared to cheer the team's first title in over three decades.
Sixth Game Summary
Los Angeles generated all of their offense in the third inning. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani was purposely passed before Smith hit a two-bagger to left field to score Tommy Edman. Freeman drew a walk to load the bases, and Mookie Betts came through with a two-RBI hit to the opposite field, giving the Dodgers a three-run advantage.
That key hit broke a playoff dry spell and revived the title holders' hopes of being the first repeat World Series victors since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 through 2000.
Mound Battle
Gausman had been nearly unhittable to that point, striking out half a dozen of the initial seven batters he faced. He fanned eight through three frames, matching a World Series record, but the third-inning barrage proved decisive. The Toronto ace ended with 8 Ks over six frames, allowing three runs on three safeties and two free passes.
Yamamoto, meanwhile, was steady again under stress. The 27-year-old right-hander outdueled Gausman for the second occasion in a week, giving up a single run on five base 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 George Springer two-out base hit in the third, scoring Barger, who had doubled previously in the frame. Springer’s hit provided a momentary lift in his comeback to the lineup after missing two games with an side strain.
Bullpen Heroics
After that, the Los Angeles relievers carried the load. Rookie Justin Wrobleski got out of a jam in the seventh inning, and another rookie Rōki Sasaki pitched into the ninth inning before hitting Alejandro Kirk to open the frame. Barger then hit a double that got stuck under the left-center-field fence, forcing runners to stay at second and third base.
Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles’ third game starting pitcher, came on in relief and induced a popout before Andrés Giménez lined to left field. Hernández caught the ball and fired to second to double off Barger, clinching the victory and giving Glasnow his first-ever successful save.
Looking Ahead: Seventh Game
The best-of-seven now boils down to one game. Max Scherzer will start for the Blue Jays, making him the sole active hurler 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 chase one more title and has been a outspoken presence throughout this playoff run.
The Los Angeles squad, aiming to be baseball’s first back-to-back champions in nearly a quarter-century, are projected to lean on their two-way star for a short outing.